Pleasant Nonsense
by TwoHatchets
Summary: What starts off as an overnight camping date between our favorite Ball-of-Sunshine and his Explosive Tsundere takes an unexpected turn when they stumble upon an abandoned pup in desperate need of their help. Saddled with taking care of it until the ongoing investigation is resolved, Bakugou slowly realizes that the pup has an aptitude to become a hearing dog.
1. Pleasant Nonsense

_**Updated Summary: **_

**What starts off as an overnight camping date between our favorite ball of sunshine and his explosive Tsundere takes an unexpected turn when they stumble upon an abandoned pup in desperate need of their help. Saddled with taking care of it until the ongoing investigation is resolved, Bakugou slowly realizes that fate can sometimes send you exactly what you need when you're least expecting it when discovering the pup has an aptitude to become a hearing dog. A heartfelt story about personal growth, friendship, overcoming trauma, and of course, moments of tooth-rotting fluff. **

* * *

_**Kirishima P. O. V. **_

The summer air was warm and humid, making his crimson locks fall in front of his eyes and stick to his forehead. He constantly had to brush them out of his way, but he continued to trudge on. Ignoring the pain of the straps of his large camping backpack digging into his shoulders. Despite his discomfort, he didn't dare ask for a break to fix them. There simply wasn't time. They were racing the setting sun, desperately trying to reach the summit before nightfall. Though for what, the redhead had no idea.

The ash-blonde had surprised him one Saturday morning with an impromptu camping trip. He had packed enough supplies for both of them and secured permission from Aizawa and his parents but failed to inform the redhead of his plans. He only found out when Bakugou had entered his room and started dragging him out of bed. Ignoring all the sleepy complaints and practically dressed Kirishima as he mumbled questions about the rude awakening. Before he knew it, he was packed into a car with Bakugou and his dad, with a Honey and Oats granola bar placed in his mouth like a pacifier.

With something in his stomach, Kirishima finally started to feel himself come back to life. Bakugou finally explained that he was taking him to one of his favorite hiking spots. "You said you wanted to come along the next time I went," the ash-blonde remarked turning away from him, from where he sat beside him in the back seat. The tips of his ears turning a light shade of pink.

That made Kirishima smile. "Thanks, man! But you could have let me know ahead of time."

"It was a last-minute thing," Bakugou lied sinking deeper into his seat, his ears turning redder.

Kirishima suppressed a chuckle. _'Yeah, sure it was.' _The redhead noticed that Mr. Bakugou was also trying not to laugh at how obvious his son was being. Man, Kirishima loved the Bakugou's.

The mountain was a two-hour drive away. The car ride was quiet but peaceful. Bakugou ended up taking a nap for most of it; while Kirishima passed the time looking out the window and striking a conversation with Mr. Bakugou now and then.

Kirishima already knew that Bakugou had gotten into hiking because of his dad. The two of them had done numerous hiking and mountain climbing trips together over the years. They had climbed every mountain in Japan at least once and every trail at least twice, so it came as a surprise when it was revealed that Mr. Bakugou wouldn't be joining them. Unfortunately, he had an important work trip he couldn't miss during their annual camping trip. Only able to give them a ride there and back since it was already on his way.

So the two boys loaded the heavy camping packs onto their shoulders and hiked up Nozomi Mountain by themselves. The mountain wasn't the tallest in Japan by any means, but it was the Bakugou family's favorite. It had trails for everyone, from beginners like Bakugou's mom Mitsuki; to hazardous rocking climbing trails for those with tons of experience like Bakugou himself. Whatever path you took, it was extremely beautiful thanks to the small about of foot traffic it received. Most people didn't even know about it because you had to walk through an unmarked forest before the trails even started.

As they hiked one of the middle-grade trails for Kirishima's benefit; Bakugou shared that this was the first mountain he had ever climbed. When his father asked if he wanted to go camping when he was four, Bakugou said he only wanted to go if they climbed the tallest mountain in Japan. Knowing he wouldn't be able to handle a trip like that at that age, his father had tricked him and said that it was. While Bakugou figured out the truth once he got back home, he never enjoyed any other camping trip than the ones on this mountain. So he forgave him. After that, any time they needed to get away from the world around them; the family would pack into their car and head here. Even his mother, who hated the outdoors would join in on occasion. Though she would bitch the whole time.

Kirishima listened to his friend in respectful silence. It was the most he's ever heard Bakugou talk about anything besides how much he hated Deku. He never realized how important these outings were to him. He felt honored to be invited to tag along to one of his family's favorite traditions. Despite the ache in his shoulders or the damp hair smacking him in the face with every step, Kirishima continued to smile the whole way up the mountain. With each step and every childhood memory shared, he felt like he was becoming closer to the supposed Beast of Class 1-A.

After six hours of hiking, they finally reached the summit. "We made it!" Kirishima yelled, throwing his arms into the air in victory. However, the action made him unbalanced and he quickly fell over backward due to the weight of the camping pack still attached to his back. Landing with an _**"Oof!"**_ as he laid there comically like a turtle stuck on his back.

"Stop messing around Shitty-Hair," Bakugou scolded, though he offered him a helping hand up. Kirishima took it gratefully. Apologizing with a chuckle as he did so. "Whatever, we still have a shit ton of stuff to do while we still have some light."

That was true. The sun had just started to set. Painting the sky a breathtaking display of oranges and pinks as it enveloped the wispy clouds in the distance. Everything from the forest to the lake at the base of the mountain and the connecting waterfall was enveloped in beautiful orangish gold light. The view was breathtaking. Kirishima wanted nothing more than to stare at this forever.

A sudden click brought him back to reality. His crimson eyes moved towards the sound only to get distracted by the equally dazzling scene in front of him. Bakugou stood before him, his hair looking golden in the brilliant light. The sight took Kirishima's breath away. His face looking soft for a second, before looking annoyed. "Didn't you hear me? We got stuff to do."

"R-Right!" Kirishima stammered with a blush, grabbing random pieces of their tent and trying to connect them, despite them not going together. The blonde watched him for a second before rolling his eyes. Yanking one of the pieces from him and gently handing him the correct piece. The redhead nodded his thanks, before getting back to work.

By the time they finished setting up camp, the sun had just finished setting. The last traces of orange and pink faded to shades of purple and light blues and even they were slowly fading in brilliance. Bakugou had brought an assortment of ingredients to make campfire kabobs for dinner, even bringing different types of meat to roast since that was Kirishima's favorite. Though after a few kabobs, Bakugou started making them for the redhead when he just loaded his with meat.

"No, you're not pulling that shit like the rest of those idiots. You have to eat a fucking vegetable!"

"Alright. Alright!" Kirishima laughed, his hands raised in surrender. "So, are you finally going to tell me why you dragged me up here?"

"I already told you. My family comes here every year, but they're all busy this time," Bakugou stated nonchalantly. He leans back and twists his lean body to grab one of his packs. He unzips it and starts rummaging through its possessions. "Besides, I wasn't about to sit in a light-polluted city during one of the biggest meteor showers of the decade," Bakugou remarks, pulling a telescope from his backpack. A determined smirk on his face.

Kirishima practically jumped to his feet. "Dude! Are you serious!" the redhead exclaimed, his voice full of childlike excitement. His eyes scanning the still darkening sky. The first couple of stars starting to become visible. "I've never seen one of those before! Meteors are so manly!"

"They are?" Bakugou asked, taken aback by the sudden excitement.

"Of course! They killed all the dinosaurs after all!"

"Yeah…"

"Oh man, this is so awesome! You're the best Bakugou!" Kirishima cheered, sitting beside his friend. Their shoulders brushing against each other due to the limited space on the log they sat on.

"Yeah… whatever," Bakugou huffed, looking away.

It took another 30 minutes for it to be dark enough to see the stars clearly. In that time Bakugou expertly set up his telescope and his DSLR cameras. He had promised his dad that he would take photos of it for him since he couldn't make it. Kirishima teased him for being a softy, but the blonde retorted that he only did it for the new lens he scored out of the deal. Kirishima didn't realize the blonde was such a photography nerd. He was learning so much about him on this trip.

Kirishima thought the sunset earlier was the most amazing thing he had ever seen, but the starry sky above him was even more stunning. The different shades of purple, pink, green and blue leftover from the sunset swirled and mixed in a mesmerizing display across the steadily darkening sky. One decorated with millions of brilliant silver twinkling lights. He had never seen so many stars. Having lived in the city all his life and had only ever gone camping during their summer training camp. Though there were no stars to see thanks to the smoky overcast that night.

The redhead just stared in awe at the beautiful scene in front of him. Bakugou sat beside him, occasionally snapping a photo of the sky with his camera set up on a tripod a few feet away, with the remote in his hands. His other camera was rigged to the telescope beside them. The redhead had attempted to ask him questions about how he was able to take photos in the dark, but then Bakugou started talking about the technicalities of cameras and photography. The explanations confusing him even further. _'Something about long-shutters? Or taking Speed? ISO? In search of what?' _He could practically smell his brain-frying as it short-circuited.

"You're missing it," Bakugou stated suddenly, nudging Kirishima's shoulder with his to break him out of his trance. The ash-blonde pointed his face toward the sky. Kirishima's eyes following his gaze and immediately lit up with childlike wonder as he saw the first meteors flying across the sky. His famous shark-toothed grin spreading across his face.

Kirishima wasn't sure how long he stared up at the sky before a voice broke into his thoughts. "Hey, Kirishima." The redhead barely had time to look before he heard the familiar click of a camera shutter going off. He blinked his eyes a couple of times before his eyes settled on the camera in Bakugou's hands. Most of the ash-blonde's face was covered by the camera, though his satisfied grin was hard to miss even in the darkness. The camera no longer hooked up to the telescope beside them.

He felt his cheeks warming up in embarrassment. "Hey, no fair Bakugou!" Kirishima protested, pointing at the camera. Another click. He blushed even harder. "Hey! Stop!" Kirishima protested again, making a move for the camera. Only for Bakugou to hold it up, out of his reach.

"What's the matter?" Bakugou teased, a playful smirk on his face. He was always so childish when it was just the two of them. "You camera shy or something?"

"I'm not," Kirishima pouted, "I just don't think it's fair that you can take photos of me and I can't take photos of you."

"So, you want to take my photo?" Bakugou asked smugly. Trying to embarrass the redhead even further.

"Well, yeah," he said matter of fact. Not sure why Bakugou thought that admitting it would be embarrassing. It's not like anyone else was here. Even if there were, he doubted it would make him embarrassed to admit it. It was manly to acknowledge your feelings after all. "You're my favorite person after all. I want lots of pictures with you."

Bakugou's plan backfired. It was his turn to be embarrassed. He turned his head away to hide the blush on his cheeks. Though it was still barely visible in the dim light.

"You suck at taking photos," the ash-blonde mumbled under his breath. His face still facing another direction. Kirishima had to suppress the giggle that threatened to escape his lips at his adorable little Tsundere. "So how about I put one camera on a timer so it can take multiple photos of us as we stargaze?"

Kirishima's eyes brightened. "Sounds good!" Kirishima cheered, grabbing onto one of his arms. The act almost causing Bakugou to drop his $5,000 camera. "Whoops," Kirishima laughed nervously. Ignoring the death glare Bakugou sent his way.

They spent the rest of the night watching the meteor shower. The camera they set up, continuing to take a photo of them every ten minutes until it ran out of battery. Kirishima enjoyed getting a closer look at the meteors through the telescope but enjoyed it more when he could see the whole sky. That and he enjoyed sneaking glances at Bakugou who split his time watching with him and taking photos of the shower. It was refreshing to see the hothead looking so calm and focused on something with silent intensity.

Bakugou showed him a few photos he was especially proud of and they made Kirishima's jaw drop. They were both staring at the same sky, but Bakugou's photos highlighted the most beautiful parts of it. There wasn't anything Bakugou couldn't do. After much convincing, he finally allowed Kirishima to take a few photos himself, though only after triple-checking to make sure the strap was around him correctly. Kirishima thought his pictures turned out alright, but Bakugou gave him a few tips and they drastically looked better.

"Did you make a wish?" Bakugou asked as the last meteors crossed the sky. Referencing how the Mountain was locally known as, "Wish Mountain." His arms were crossed behind his head as he lied on top of his sleeping bag. Their fully constructed tent a mere 6 feet away; completely forgotten.

Kirishima lied beside him. His crimson hair tickling Bakugou's face. "Hmmm... I wish we could stay like this forever," he stated truthfully. A sleepy smile on his face.

"You're so corny," Bakugou snorted, but there was a small smile on his face.

This made Kirishima grin even more. "Yeah, I know," he replied sleepily. "What did you wish for?"

Bakugou was silent for a moment. He shifted into a sitting position, ignoring Kirishima's sleepy protests. Without warning, Bakugou leaned over and kissed him. Kirishima was frozen in place for a second but then leaned into it. A few more moments passed before they parted. "This," he stated simply, an awkward smile on his face.

"Now, whose corny?" Kirishima giggled.

"Shut up," Bakugou yawned, settling into a more comfortable position. "Get some sleep, Kiri."

"G'night Bakugou," Kirishima mumbled. Snuggling back into Bakugou's side, before drifting comfortably to sleep next to the person he loved.

* * *

_**I hope you enjoyed this adorable little scene between my two favorite boys! I've always enjoyed all the fan art of the two of them doing cute little camping and hiking dates and I have a long background in photography, especially landscapes, so I couldn't resist writing about it. This is actually a little excerpt from my other work, "When Mangas Collide," where I continue this scene after Kirishima wakes up.**_

_**If you like Fruits Basket ( Which Fruits Basket 2019 just finished its first season) and stories with a detailed plot surrounding personal growth, friendship and of course other moments of fluff like this between Bakugou/Kirishima and alternate versions of Kyo/Tohru, I recommend you check it out. If not, I'll continue to write the cute little scenes between my two favorite boys and Kyo and Tohru as Oneshots. Glad you enjoyed this and I hope you stay tuned for future stories.**_


	2. A Surprising Discovery

**Bakugou P. O. V. **

The surprisingly crisp morning air was filled with the soft chirping of crickets and the singing of songbirds. The sun had just begun to rise, painting the surrounding area in a dazzling golden light. Without a cloud or an obstructing building insight, one could really appreciate the vastness of the open sky.

After enjoying the breakfast that Bakugou had prepared for them while Kirishima packed up all their belongings in a sloppy, but manageable heap. They two teens decided to take a stroll to the ash-blonde's other favorite spot on the mountain for the remainder of the morning. With their unwieldy packs strapped onto their backs once again, they steadily made their descent to the waterfall Kirishima had seen the evening before.

The trek down was more comfortable than their initial climb. Bakugou having led them down a steeper and slicker stone path, created from years of rain erosion and moss overgrowth. Allowing them to slide down most of the way on their feet like professional snowboarders. The competitive duo showcasing impressive tricks with their quirks, which eventually led to them sparring as they raced along the rocky track. Enthusiastic and chaotic laughter echoing through the forest as they sped to their destination in record time.

"Hah! Take that Shitty-Hair!" Bakugou boomed, as he leaped off the rock slide at the foot of the lake with a triumphant grin on his face. The sudden noise scared off some of the nearby birds, only for them to return to their perches a moment later. "I'm the indisputable winner!"

His redheaded friend slid down a second later. Jumping off the makeshift slide a little clumsily. The large camping backpack threatening to topple him right over. "No fair, Bakugou!" whined the sturdy hero over the crashing of waves. "I didn't know we were racing!"

Bakugou rolled his crimson eyes at that. "Don't be a sore loser. You know damn well that everything I do is a competition," he retorted, tossing the bag off his shoulders. Walking over to help Kirishima with his when he was finished.

"Now close your eyes," he ordered impatiently. Smirking when Kirishima obeyed him without question. Bakugou carefully removed a camera from the shock-absorbent case in the redhead's pack. Swiftly removing the lens cap and turning his friend around before backing up a few paces. "Now, open them."

Kirishima blinked the sun out of his eyes for a few seconds. When they adjusted, he stood dumbfounded at the sight in front of him. The waterfall towering above them flowed powerfully down the mountainside. Several massive rocks jutted out of it precariously, creating multiple smaller waterfalls near its base. Petals from the surrounding forest's late-blooming flowers mixed with the water effortlessly. Flowing down the cascade-like tiny boats further into the lake. The sparkling blue water shimmered shades of pink, green, and purple as the sun reflected off the foliage floating along its surface. The redhead's beautiful scarlet eyes sparkled with childlike wonder while he stared utterly mesmerized by the peaceful scene before him.

**Click**

'Absolutely breathtaking,' Bakugou hummed to himself.

That was definitely going to be a keeper. Satisfied, Bakugou stepped beside his friend. Pulling Kirishima close so he could snap another shot of the two of them together. This made the redhead smile brighter than the sun, and Bakugou couldn't have been happier with the results. Pleased that he was able to capture it on film. So much so that he hadn't realized that he was smiling in the photo as well.

"Thanks again for bringing me, Bakugou!" Kirishima thanked for the hundredth time. Shooting him his usual shark-toothed grin. ""This place is amazing!"

The ash-blonde grunted in response. Trying to hide that his ears were turning red with the praise, by taking a few shots of the gorgeous landscape ahead of them. Tsking in aggravation as the last of his battery died out after a few photos.

"You want to jump in for a bit?" Kiri offered. Already taking off his jacket and removing his electronics from his pockets.

The explosive hero frowned at that. "Nah, I'd rather not," Bakugou admits, shifting on his feet a little standoffish. When his friend gives him a concerned look, the ash-blonde turned away muttered a quick explanation. "The high elevation is already making my tinnitus flare-up. I don't want to worsen it by getting wet."

"That's alright, man," Kirishima reassured in a cheerful tone. "Let's take a walk alongside the lake instead," he chirped. Taking hold of Bakugou's hand and pulling him along before he could protest.

Kirishima and the rest of Bakugou's group of idiots had been incredibly supportive of his ongoing battle with hearing loss. An ailment brought on by his own quirk no less. His tinnitus was something he had always suffered from but had been steadily worsening ever since joining UA. Bakugou had always known that going deaf was inevitable for him. Though he never thought it would catch up to him so soon. If he could hear anything past graduation would be a miracle at this point. Becoming the Future Number One Hero just became that much harder.

'Not that something so dumb is ever going to stop me from achieving my dreams,' smirked the future hero.

They engaged in cheerful chit-chat as they walked along with the bank hand in hand. Cherishing the comfort, they felt in each other's presence without prying eyes dissecting their every move. Something they could never get away with in the city out of fear of someone discovering their secret. They had gotten together shortly after Bakugou had come clean about everything that had been eating him up inside after his kidnapping. Kirishima had offered his room to be a safe place to crash if Bakugou didn't want to be alone after his nightly nightmares. Over time, their platonic sleepovers turned into something they were still trying to figure out. All they knew was that they cared deeply for one another. They had no idea when or if they would reveal their developing relationship to their class, or what their relationship would mean for them in the future. Content with discovering it for themselves without anyone's help.

'Doesn't matter. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.'

The Ball-of-Sunshine beside him was retelling a story about the prank war the rest of the Bakusquad had just completed when peculiar a noise over the roaring rapids caught Bakugou's attention. It sounded like a distant **splash**, followed by a series of smaller splashing. Bakugou slowed his pace, willing his inconsistent ears to pinpoint its exact location. 'What the hell?'

"What's the mat-" the shark-toothed teen began, only to be interrupted when a hand roughly clamped over his mouth. There's a grumble under the blonde's palm, but thankfully no further complaint.

A minute later, the explosive hero sensed the familiar fidgety sensation of adrenaline flowing throughout his body. A sign Bakugou had come to associate with trouble somewhere nearby. Trusting his developing hero sense, Bakugou released his hold on the redhead in his grasp without a second thought. His whole body screaming for him to bolt down the bank before it was too late. His need to save outweighing every other instinct he had. His crimson eyes wildly scanning along the water for anything out of place. Leaving a confused Kirishima to follow after him.

"Bakugou, wait up!" The sturdy hero called after him. Struggling to keep up on the uneven and moss-covered terrain. But the blonde ignored him. Too focused on speeding toward the base of the waterfall with the help of his quirk. And that's when Kirishima heard it as well.

A pitiful chorus of whimpering could just barely be heard over the rhythmic roar of the cascade. A small muddy bundle of soaking black fur could be seen struggling to tread water. The creature's head constantly being pushed under the surface by the constant flow. It's paws frantically scraping against the slippery rocks to no avail.

The critter released one final piercing howl before it disappeared beneath the rapids. With a tsk, Bakugou dives in after it. Not bothering to disrobe or empty his pockets. Silently cursing that he ended up getting wet anyway. The last thing he saw was Kirishima wading into the muck further downstream before being engulfed by the current.

The water was freezing despite it being the middle of summer. The cold temperature immediately seized up his muscles painfully. Almost forcing him to breathe in the frigid water by mistake. Shaking off the rising panic of being submerged in the dark, the ash-blonde glanced around for the mess of black fur he had seen mere moments prior.

In his peripheral, he noticed a cluster of air bubbles rising to the surface to his left. His crimson eyes trailed after them to find something small struggling to gnaw through the rope tied around its neck. Some sort of heavy object weighing the lead down and steadily sinking further down the lake's murky depths. 'That looks like...'

Bakugou shakes the thought aside for the moment. Acting quickly, Bakugou pulled the knife free from the sheath on his belt. Immediately getting to work sawing through the thick material without much resistance. Once that was done, the blonde grabbed hold of the creature's scruff who had grown disturbingly still from the lack of oxygen.

The explosive hero breached the surface violently. Coughing up traces of water as his lungs heaved in as much air as they could. Slightly relieved when he hears a second being wheezing alongside him. The little wet bundle nuzzled into him as it attempted to climb further out of the water that had almost claimed its life.

"Kiri, hurry up and take this stray from me," the ash-blonde ordered in between coughs. Wading closer to the shore to save the redhead, the trouble of getting thoroughly drenched himself.

Bakugou carefully tossed his knife onto the beach to retrieve later. His body on autopilot as his mind dreaded what he saw at the bottom of the lake. With a Tsk, he continued, "I have to dive back down for something else."

"R-right," Kirishima stammered, quickly pocketing something before scrambling over to take the shivering form from his arms. It took a moment to detach the little guy from Bakugou's side. The poor thing was terrified of dropping back into the water. It desperately dug its claws into the hero, leaving bloody scratches all over his shoulder.

'Fucking mongrel,' he cursed silently. Trying to shake the little bastard off of him.

The second the redhead managed to pry the thing off him, Bakugou dived back under the frigid waves. His crimson eyes hastily scanned the ground for the object he had previously seen.

'Shit. It's exactly what I thought,' the future hero muttered to himself once he had located it. After viewing it up close, Bakugou could no longer deny that the weight used to burden the animal was none other than a battered villain restraint.

Knowing that this needed to be reported to the proper authorities right away. Bakugou grabbed hold of the large metal cuff with both hands. Struggling to pull it free of the muddy floor, as it instantly saps what little warmth his fingers still retained. Gritting his teeth, Bakugou yanked with all his might until he finally lodged it free with a satisfying **squelch.** Almost out of breath, Bakugou used his quirk to quickly boost himself and his cumbersome cargo to the surface. Breaching the waves just in the nick of time. The ash-blonde's vision had already started to darken in a mixture of distress and lack of oxygen.

The explosion rocketed him out of the water with more force than he anticipated. Causing Bakugou to land on the gravel with an ungraceful **thud. **Scraping his elbow slightly when he skidded across the ground from the momentum.

"Shit," Bakugou hissed through the pain. Pushing himself up with shaky arms. Dropping the metal restraint to examine his wound. Luckily it wasn't anything serious, but should probably be treated soon to be on the safe side.

"Bakugou!" Kirishima called a little ways off. The ash-blonde's waterlogged ears picking up the muffled sounds of frantic shuffling and that of loose stones shifting underfoot. Soon after, his friend kneeled beside him with a soaked mess of fur clutched protectively in his arms. "Are you alright?"

"Fucking peachy," Bakugou retorted, shaking some of the trapped water out of his ears. Too cold and irritable to care how snappish he sounded. He motioned toward the recovered villain cuffs to his right. "Though we're probably going to miss Aizawa's curfew now that we have to hand these over to the nearest Hero Agency."

"Is that what I think it is?"

"Yeah," Bakugou confirmed bitterly, as he rose to his feet. Taking the time to reposition the bulky shackles on his shoulders before continuing, "Their condition and location could mean that a villain escaped police custody and is hiding out in the area."

"Shouldn't we go investigate then?"

"I would if I could. But unlike you, I don't have a Provincial License," Bakugou muttered through grit teeth. It was killing him to know there was a possible villain in need of a beating, but he wasn't authorized to do anything about it. All because he failed one bullshit exam.

Shaking off his irritation Bakugou carried on. "Each handcuff is inscribed with a serial number. With it, the police will be able to connect it to the villain it was registered to and start scouring the nearby cities for them. There's not much we would be able to do anyway."

"I guess you're right," the redhead agreed somberly. Kirishima's shoulders drooped in defeat, causing his arms to jostle ever so slightly. A pained whine escaped the tiny ball of fur, which made Kiri immediately start cooing softly to comfort his frightened charge. Catching Bakugou's attention, he padded closer to get a better look at the creature that had gotten them into this mess.

Now that the previous mud had mostly been washed away from its icy plunge, Bakugou found himself face to face with a shivering husky puppy. It couldn't have been more than a couple of months old by his estimate. Barely mature enough to leave his mother's side. His fur was black and silver instead of the traditional white, with piercing icy blue and pale green eyes. An ominous mismatched gaze that stood out brightly against the puppy's prominent mask. A couple matching charcoal spots adorned his muzzle like freckles, while a connecting streak of silver between his eyes broadened to create a medium-sized clover design on his forehead.

Bakugou couldn't help but think that the mutt would have made a striking and desirable pet if it wasn't for the fact that it was filthy and showcased clear signs of abuse. Even from where he stood, Bakugou could tell how malnourished it was with how its ribs protruded from its soft puppy coat. How his nails were overgrown and bleeding from when it desperately scrambled to stay afloat. Despite being utterly disheveled from almost drowning, a permanent indent around the dog's neck from where his collar was strapped way too tight persisted. Thankfully, Kirishima had removed it before it had the opportunity to strangle or cut into the puppy's throat. A consistent string of pitiful whimpering flowed from its mouth as it flinched with every movement. Most troubling was the shaking, no doubt from a combination of hypothermia and probably crippling fear, as it curled a swollen leg close to its body in obvious pain. This poor pup had lived through hell, and Bakugou would be damned if the one responsible was going to get away with it.

"Hold him still," The explosive hero ordered a little too harshly, as he ripped the bottom of his already ruined shirt. It pissed him off immensely that anyone, let alone a villain, was capable of tossing another living creature over a fucking waterfall. Effectively leaving it there to die a slow and painful death. Strapping it to a villain restraint, no less was just adding insult to injury.

"I'm going to tie a temporary sling for it, and then we gotta hike back to where my dad is meeting us," Bakugou growled under his breath. Administering first-aid to the husky was the only thing keeping him from tearing through the forest he cherished in search of the lowlife who had abandoned it.

It was tough going. The mutt never stopped struggling throughout the whole ordeal. It's teeth-gnashing at thin air every once in a while. However, the worst, by far, was the miserable wails that berated their ears with the slightest touch. Obnoxious cries that they had to power through until finally securing the makeshift wrap around its injured leg with a stick. The critter falling into a troubled sleep in Kiri's arms.

Fed up with the noisy creature, the hot-tempered teen forced his friend to carry the needy pup down the mountain while he lugged all the evidence they had gathered about the animal abuse and the escaped villain. Taking the time to snap a few photos of the scene with Kirishima's still working phone. Silently thankful that his camera had run out of battery long ago. No one needed to take highly detailed photos of this cruelty.

The trek down was incredibly taxing. The future heroes' arms hindered by their cargo of varying degrees of fragility. While Bakugou complained loudly about their shitty situation, he continued to frequently check on the condition of the animal in Kirishima's grasp. Stopping every now and then to coax it to drink fresh water or take a bite of their leftovers. Rolling his eyes every time the redhead voiced how "sweet" his actions were.

"Fuck off. I'm not trying to be 'sweet.' I'm fucking pissed." Bakugou muttered through lightly chattering teeth when they reached sight of the valley floor. His slender frame shivering despite wearing Kirishima's toasty windbreaker. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm fucking soaked, my shoulder's messed up, and were saddled with an injured mutt while a villain could be prowling the area. The least we could do is keep it from dying before handing it over to the police."

"Yeah, I guess it kind of puts a damper on our date, huh?" the Ball-of-Sunshine teased.

Bakugou didn't even have a chance to blast that shark-toothed grin off his face. "Boys, do you need any help?" called a familiar voice, effectively preventing the ash-blonde from killing his best friend. Kirishima had never been so glad to see Mr. Bakugou in his whole life.

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**I had initially intended this work to be a one-shot but recently came up with a new Bakugou headcanon when training my new husky puppy to become a service animal. It was something I hadn't seen in a Bakugou fanfic before and inspired me to run with it. After much deliberation, I decided to add it to this story since it takes place a few months before my other work. I hope you enjoy the continuation of this version of Pleasant Nonsense!**

**Like always, I hope you're enjoying the story so far and I hope you continue to keep reading. If you would be so kind as to give me kudos, likes or leave a review or comments on the story so far would be absolutely amazing. **


	3. It Has A What?

**After months of not updating, this is my second chapter this week for this story. Not to mention making progress on my other fic as well. I've been inspired to write after watching the new My Hero Academia movie and figured I'd take advantage of being confined to my home for the foreseeable future. ****I hope you all enjoy! **

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**Bakugou P. O. V. **

The car ride from the closest Police Station was miserable, to say the least. The somber atmosphere threatened to suffocate all three of them as they traveled in relative silence. Their injured charge nestled in a makeshift bed of blankets in the middle seat. The heat blasting so intensely that the explosive hero's soggy clothes dried in a matter of minutes, but still, the bundle in between the two aspiring heroes continued to shake through labored pants. Bakugou was trembling too, though he shook with barely contained rage.

"Can't you go any faster!" the hot-tempered teen demanded for the hundredth time. Violently shaking the back of his dad's seat. Not that his ever-patient father seemed to notice in the least. Years of conditioning making him practically immune to his family's fiery tempers.

"I'm going as fast as the speed limit will allow," Mr. Bakugou sighed. Momentarily taking his hand off the wheel to wipe sweat from his brow. "We'll get there in time, son. I'm sure of it," he promised as he placed his glasses back on his face.

'Doubt it,' Bakugou muttered to himself. Glancing over his shoulder to study the western sky. The radiant glow showered his face in an orangish-red light, but also cast long dark shadows across his features. It was a race against time to get this dog to the vet before the town's only veterinary clinic closed. If they didn't make it there before sundown, it was highly unlikely that it would survive the night.

Sniffling brought the blonde's attention back to the redhead to his right. Kirishima had continued to fawn over the thing long after it fell into a feverish sleep. Rubbing it lightly to build up body heat and gently scratching it behind its absurdly large pointed ears. Cooing to it softly in a farfetched attempt to call it back from the brink of death. All the while, ugly tears streamed down his usually cheerful face. The sight made Bakugou sick, which only fueled his fury further.

"Drive faster!" Bakugou ordered again. Sparks popping off of his palms and threatened to catch the whole car on fire. "Or so help me, I'm going to tell the Old-Hag that it was you who singed the new outfit she was designing!"

Mr. Bakugou remained silent. Though the car started to speed up exponentially. No doubt terrified how his volatile wife would react to the news. Perhaps he even felt a twinge of guilt for their unfavorable situation.

It had been his father's suggestion to visit the Police Station before stopping by the vet's office. Believing it would be crucial to report the recovered villain restraint along with all the evidence they gathered of the corresponding animal abuse. Assuming that law enforcement would need to see the animal for themselves to complete their investigation. Then they would be able to surrender the dog into their care for the police to give it the treatment it needed. However, that wasn't the case.

After Bakugou and Kirishima spent hours recounting the events that transpired on the mountain, it was eventually revealed that the town's law enforcement was too small and understaffed to adequately care for the dog during the duration of the case. Something they probably should have been able to deduce considering there wasn't a Hero Agency for miles. Instead, the police offered to pay for the dog's expenses if they would be willing to look after it for the time being. It was around this time that the husky's health rapidly started to decline. Concerned, they hastily jotted down their contact information for the lead detective, then bolted out the door with the lethargic dog in tow. Hoping to reach the animal hospital across town before it closed for the night.

'Don't you dare die on us,' Bakugou silently demanded the sleeping creature when he felt its hot form nuzzle closer to his side. The thing seemed drawn to the explosive hero's warm body in some desperate attempt to ward off its ongoing battle with hypothermia. This was its third attempt to crawl into his lap so far. With gentle hands, Bakugou carefully placed the heap of fur back onto the pile of blankets. This time draping a protective arm around it since his presence seemed to put the mutt at ease. Smiling at the sweet act, Kirishima laid his own arm over the top of Bakugou's. Their fingers immediately intertwining in a silent gesture of comfort.

By the miracle of some unknown deity, they arrived at the clinic just in time. The ash-blonde blasted himself from the still-moving vehicle in a flash of light, with Kirishima not far behind with the heaving bundle in his arms. Bakugou reappeared a second later to slam an orange and black combat boot into the divide of the glass doors with enough force that he managed to crack the windows. Terrifying the teenage veterinary assistant half to death who had been in the process of locking up. With a stuttered greeting, she hurried them into the clinic just as the last traces of sunlight disappeared over the horizon.

Mr. Reiki, the Head Veterinarian, promptly removed the animal from Kiri's arms and led them all to a back room. His jumpy assistant Kachina, wrote down their statements as he began administering healing with the aid of his quirk, Restoration . A soft green light emitted from his hands as he calmly started to close wounds and reversed atrophy. After completing her notes, Kachina, who also happened to be Reiki's daughter, quickly tended to Bakugou's shoulder and elbow at Kirishima's request. Once finished, she ushered them back to the waiting room so she could provide aid to her father.

"How long is this going to take?" Bakugou huffed impatiently with crossed arms. His eyes started to droop slightly from fatigue. They had been left alone in the barren waiting room for almost an hour already. Left with nothing to do but twiddle their thumbs as the seconds ticked by. Without so much as a word on the mutt's condition. It was seriously pissing Bakugou off.

"I'm sure they're doing everything they can," Kirishima assured with a half-hearted smile. He was still clutching the blanket they had wrapped the puppy in during the ride there. "They already said that they were confident that he was going to pull through."

"Then why is it taking so long?" the hothead complained, leaning lightly against the redhead to his right. Not caring if his dad took notice or not from where he sat across the room from them. "If there were complications, they should have the guts to say it to our faces."

Kirishima shrugged at this. The concern reflecting in his scarlet eyes made the blonde's heartache. "Let's just be patient and wait a little while longer," the redhead suggested with a forced smile.

Just then, they heard the **clang ** of metal crashing to the floor, followed by a startled shriek. Months of vigorous hero training had Bakugou and Kirishima on their feet, ready to attack or defend in an instant. With an explosion held at the ready and the sturdy heroes sleeves forcibly ripped off to better accommodate his hardened arms, they rushed toward the chorus of muffled yells sounding in the other room. However, before they reached the door, a small dark figure phased into existence in front of them. Only to glitch away a moment later.

"The fuck?!" Bakugou yelled, seconds before a substantial force collided into him. The blow, aimed at the back of his legs, threatening to knock him over. With a ferocious snarl, the explosive hero regained his balance and whirled around to blast his attacker with a concentrated explosion. But he stops short when he spots a familiar masked face staring back at him.

"So it was you! " Bakugou growled. Relaxing out of his crouch after finally getting a clear look at the puppy hiding behind him.

Despite being incredibly annoyed, Bakugou couldn't deny how relieved he was to see the mutt in better shape than when it first arrived. The various surface wounds that had covered its body were healed up. The deterioration of its muscles and overall body fat had been reversed, leaving it in the ideal range for its size. The medical staff even took the liberty of clipping its nails and giving it a much-needed bath so you could fully appreciate the natural radiance of its black and silver coat. The only injury that remained untreated was the husky's fractured leg. Apparently, the medical staff's quirks weren't suited to heal broken bones, so they had to construct a modified sling for it instead. The bright red wrap securing its injured leg comfortably off the ground.

"He's okay!" Kirishima cheered, immediately releasing the effects of his quirk with the brightest smile on his face. Kneeling down with hands outstretched to the creature whose silver-tipped tail wagged at the speed of light. The pup offered his hands a few tentative licks while rubbing against the ash-blonde legs like a cat.

"Hey, little guy, do you remember me?" The redhead asked, scooting ever closer.

The close proximity proved to be too much, for the pup's pointed ears suddenly laid flat against his head. A soft chittering growl sounded in his throat as it bared it's milk teeth in what was probably supposed to be a threatening display. This, however, only served to make the Ball-of-Sunshine coo even harder. "Aw, he reminds me of another prickly critter!"

"Shut it, Shitty-Hair," the explosive hero growled in warning. Absolutely too tired after this grueling day to put up with his friend's nonsense. A couple of unimpressive barks seemed to agree with him.

"And you," the ash-blonde snapped, turning his attention to the annoying mutt at his feet. Bending over to pick it up by its scruff. Presuming his abundance of energy meant that he was well enough to endure his manhandling again. Effectively ignoring Kirishima and his father's protests. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you put us through?"

The creature in his grasp had the decency to look sheepish. However, its wagging tail betrayed how it actually felt. A few seconds later, it abandoned the act altogether as it wiggled in the blonde's grasp in order to lick his face. 'Disgusting!'

"Thank goodness, you found him!" a female voice called from the now open door. Her strawberry blonde locks disheveled, while a fresh scratch mark could be seen on her cheek. "We thought for sure the little rascal had escaped."

Bakugou held the canine out toward her. The mess of fur dangling fully relaxed in his grasp. "You're telling me you idiots couldn't handle one wounded stray?" He scolded with a raised eyebrow. Seriously judging their qualifications as animal providers. "What about him was giving you trouble?"

"If you bring him back here, we can explain everything for you," Reiki assured, stepping out of the examining room. He looked worse than his daughter. The dark circles under his tired eyes stood out like bruises against his pale skin. The rolled-up sleeves of his soaked lab coat revealed multiple scratches and bites covering the length of his arms. His short, burgundy hair was incredibly disarrayed, and his glasses were cracked.

Sharing a glance, the two hero students followed after the medical staff. The wiggling canine held under the ash-blonde's arm like an unruly child. Meanwhile, Mr. Bakugou stayed in the lobby to inform their school about the delay. This had better be worth it because Aizawa was definitely going to make their lives hell for missing curfew again.

The first thing Bakugou noticed when he stepped into the examining room was how trashed it was. It looked as though a tornado and blown through with how medical instruments were thrown precariously across the floor. Counters and drawers were thrown open with their contents dumped everywhere, and various liquids had been knocked over, which caused them to drip rhythmically to the ground. 'Did one mangy mutt seriously cause all this?"

"Start talking, Four-eyes," ordered the ash-blonde impatiently. Placing the husky on the metal table. His crimson eyes watched with interest as the dog started growling as the vet walked around the other side of him. Continuing to do so until Reiki removed his ruined lab coat and hung it on the wall. After which, the puppy became a cuddly mess.

Observing this, the Head Veterinarian offered it a dog biscuit, which it gobbled down greedily. His green eyes seemed reassured that it had regained its appetite. "It was tough going at first, but we eventually managed to heal the majority of his injuries. He suffered considerable bruising along his ribcage, a fractured leg and cuts and scrapes here and there," Reiki surmised. Sitting heavily onto a stool. The extended use of his quirk had sapped most of his stamina. "His leg will have to stay in the sling for a month, but he shouldn't have any lasting damage after that."

"That's great news! Thank you so much, guys!" Kirishima thanked enthusiastically. Giving the pup a loving pat on the head, which prompted it to wag its tail with the attention.

Reiki's daughter, Kachina, watched their interaction with a surprised expression. "He seems to have taken a liking to you two," she replied in disbelief. Her hand absently touching her grazed cheek. Shaking herself out of her stupor, she continued with their assessment with a renewed smile. "By our estimates, we believe he's a purebred Siberian Husky around 3 or 4 months old. A rare sight in this part of Japan."

"Bit of a runt, don't you think?" Bakugou remarked, noting the puppy's below-average size.

"His growth was probably stunted due to the deplorable conditions he was raised in. He should bulk up quickly with the proper care," the head vet assured them.

Kachina's smile faltered then. "Umm, do you guys think you might end up keeping him?" the teenager asked in an earnest tone. Her fingers fidgeting with the lanyard around her neck. She refused to meet her father's eyes, who was looking at her with a disapproving gaze.

When her question was met with confused stares. Reiki begrudgingly reiterated her question with more context. "We realize you're required to care for him for the duration of the investigation, but knowing he has a home afterward would put our minds at ease."

"Why the hell should we keep him?" Bakugou challenged. His arms crossing defensively out of habit, while his posture straightened out in an intimidating fashion. "We're going to be heroes. We don't have time for a dog."

The head vet hummed at that. "That's a shame then," Reiki replied sadly. His hazel eyes reflecting with pity as he regarded his patient, "We had hoped he would be spared the experience of going to the shelter. Animals like him don't fare very well in there."

"What do you mean, animals like him ?" questioned the blonde.

"My apologies, I often forget others aren't well versed in this type of phenomenon," Reiki replied apologetically. He pointed to the puppy's unusual markings, its heterochromatic eyes, and coloring of the husky's coat. "These unique markings, coupled with the fact that he was abandoned in such a cruel manner, are classic indicators that this dog possesses a quirk. And a troublesome one at that."

Two sets of red eyes stare at the dog in disbelief. "This mutt has a quirk?" Bakugou mumbled once he recovered. His mind still reeling that the tiny ball of fur they rescued was part of the rare anomaly of animals gaining a power of their own. He knew it was possible, of course, but he never encountered one outside of Principal Nezu. And never thought he would again. It was supposed to be a rare occurrence, after all.

"That's so cool!" Kirishima exclaimed excitedly, utterly oblivious of the dangerous implications that could result in. "What's the little guy's quirk?"

"It would be easier if we just showed you," Reiki explained, motioning for Kachina to help him. He carefully lifted the puppy off the table. It's body squirming to get back to his saviors. Whining pathetically as it was placed in a small plastic carrier that Kachina had placed on the table. The vet then locked it closed behind it with a satisfying ** click. **

Terrified howls immediately echoed through the whole building as it thrashed against the door in its desperate attempts of escaping the enclosed space. It hurt more than the blonde wished to admit hearing it cry when Bakugou also had become claustrophobic after his kidnapping. He felt the familiar warmth of Kirishima's hand as it subtly intertwined with his. Of course, the redhead would've sensed his distress even if the permanent scowl on his face denied it's presence.

Just when the explosive hero thought he couldn't endure the stray's terrified wailing anymore, the cage fell still. Saving Bakugou the trouble of ripping the door off himself. Curious, the teenagers peeked inside the carrier. Stifling gasps when they took in its contents or, more accurately, the lack thereof.

Two glowing mismatched eyes stared back at them as parts of the husky's body faded out of existence. Outside the cage, they could see a shadowy figure beginning to form, becoming more prominent as the being inside grew fainter like an afterimage. Leaving behind an ominous pair of floating eyes until those disappeared as well.

"He can teleport?" Bakugou muttered under his breath. Taking in the energetic puppy, which now sat in its full entirety on the table. An unmistakable look of triumph on its face.

"Indeed," Reiki confirmed, offering his patient another treat to make up for the unpleasant experience. Yanking his hand back when the mongrel tried to take a bite out of his hand instead. The ash-blonde snickering his approval under his breath. "As far as I can tell, his quirk appears to accelerate as time goes by."

"Well, that explains the mess in here then," Bakugou surmised impatiently, glancing around the devastated room. "So when you said, it wouldn't fare well in the shelter. You were referring to it having a quirk?"

They nodded in unison. "That's the unfortunate reality of his situation. He'll be lucky to last a week before being put down. That's if the shelter even accepted him at all," Kachina theorized regretfully. Wistfully booping the husky's nose with her finger.

"What! How come?" The redhead blurted out. The sheer volume causing Bakugou's ears to ring painfully with the close proximity. Kirishima scooping the canine up in a protective manner.

"Well, you see, as fun as it might sound to have a pet with a quirk. The reality is more complicated, seeing as owning a quirked animal comes with risks and high costs. Not to mention many people think it's unethical after the debut of Nezu," Reiki explained. He hands each of them a pamphlet from the wall, entitled Your pet and his quirk.

"Your both are from UA, correct?" He inquires politely. When they nod, he continued with his train of thought. "Then you should know first hand how intelligent Nezu is and that he exhibits human characteristics and values. He's incredibly fortunate that he's able to speak, but unfortunately, most animals in his situation can't."

"Because of this, numerous people believe it's incredibly inhumane to keep them as pets considering many possess remarkable intelligence along with their quirk," Kachina added.

"Well, if they're so intelligent, they should be smart enough to run away from their dumbass owners if they really wanted to," the hothead muttered sarcastically. "I see regular animals do it all the time."

"If only quirked animals running away was the worst of our problems," Reiki sighed. He then points to one of the posters hanging on the walls. On it described various troubling statistics of animals with quirks. "Sadly, there are countless accounts of these animals turning on their humans after being mistreated, forced to commit crimes, or fight with their powers."

"Incident like these have forced the government to crack down on people taking advantage of these creatures. Resulting in regulations that held owners liable if their animals should ever go rouge in any way. Which, of course, resulted in many innocent animals being purged," Kachina explained further. Her turquoise-colored eyes looking close to tears.

"How come this is the first time we've heard about this?" Bakugou growled. It was difficult for him to believe something so problematic was going on in the shadows. "I was under the assumption that animals like Nezu were uncommon."

"It was at first," answered the daughter. "Just as people with quirks were rare during the first generations. Animals gaining quirks are becoming more common as the world continues to evolve."

Reiki absently scratched under the dog's chin. "Society may claim that quirked animals are rare, but the truth is that we've created a world where it's nearly impossible for them to thrive out of fear of them taking over one day. Because of this paranoia, they are often relinquished or euthanized."

"But that's terrible!" the sturdy hero interjected. Ironically almost squeezing the life of the ball of fur in his grip. "Why would they do something like that!"

"It's because our society can't come to an agreement on what to label these creatures as. In the eyes of the law, they are held to the same standard as humans but are then prosecuted as if they are rabid animals. This becomes problematic since they are still heavily influenced by their animal instincts," Reiki explained darkly. A somber silence filled the room as everyone digested what had been said.

"I'll take care of him!" Kirishima declared suddenly, surprising the blonde.

"Don't be stupid," Bakugou immediately argued back. Turning to face his optimistic friend. It was just like the shark-toothed teen to commit to a half-baked idea without considering any of the flaws associated with it. If the blockhead would just deliberate on his actions for a few extra seconds, Bakugou wouldn't have to be the voice of reason every goddamn time. "You don't have the time to take care of it with school and internships starting soon."

Regardless of what people might think, Bakugou didn't take any joy out of crushing Kirishima's ideas. However, someone needed to keep him tethered to reality. "It's gonna be bad enough dealing with it until all of this is over. Now you want to keep it indefinitely? There's just no way you can pull it off!" the explosive hero ranted.

"Then, I'll figure something out!" Kirishima countered in a booming voice. The sturdy hero's broad shoulders squared back, the way he does when he's fighting. Making him look more intimidating than he actually was. The forcefulness the shark-toothed teen exhibited had shocked the blonde so much, that he had actually taken an involuntary step back.

Noticing this, Kiri's expression quickly softened. "Please, Bakugou. I can't just abandon him. He deserves a fighting chance," Kiri pleaded. One of his hands clutching the sleeve of Bakugou's borrowed jacket. Tugging on it lightly, so the blonde recovered the distance he was compelled to take.

"C'mon, how could you say no to this whittle face," the Ball-of-Sunshine beamed. Liting the critter up to the other hero's face. The pup instantly brightening and slobbered all over him. "Aww, look, he loves you too. "

"Fucking great," muttered the ticking time bomb. Angrily wiping off the drool.

"What else do I need to do to be able to keep him?" The redhead grinned as he turned back to the medical staff. Content that he had successfully warmed his friend up to the idea of keeping him. "Just make sure he doesn't hurt anyone? Shouldn't be too hard." The optimist already forgetting the stray had ravaged the medical staff earlier in its weakened state.

'Dog is as good as dead,' Bakugou thought darkly.

The vet subtly covered his scratch marks with his sleeves before humoring him. "Well, if you're serious, you'll need to register him with the quirk offices or risk paying a costly fine. Then you need to partake in mandatory quirk training to get him certified and then check in with a quirk specialist annually. All of this will cost a pretty penny to achieve," Reiki described. Handing the sturdy hero, another pamphlet titled, Caring For Your Quirked Pet .

Bakugou could practically smell Kirishima's brain short-circuiting as he processed what the veterinarian had divulged. He'd be surprised if his friend even remembered half of it. "So it's basically more trouble than it's worth," the explosive hero summarized harshly.

"I wouldn't say that," the teenager defended with a huff. Her round cheeks puffed out the same way Uraraka's does when the blonde wouldn't share his food with her. However, Kachina quickly changed her tune when Bakugou shot her with an angry glare for her backtalk. Sheepishly, she continued, "However, these laws are the reason most shelters to stop accepting creatures like him altogether. Which, in turn, has caused desperate people to abandon animals when they show signs of exhibiting a quirk."

"It's terribly cruel, but that's the world we live in," Reiki finished with a sigh.

After hearing their spiel, Kirishima's heart visibly sank. There was no way his family would be able to afford all the annual expenses to keep the dog. Even now, he struggled to pay for things such as lunch and school supplies, which Bakugou often took it upon himself to foot the bill for. Something Kirishima accepted sheepishly.

Crimson eyes watched as the redhead snuggled the puppy in his arms closer to himself. Whispering something into its ears that Bakugou couldn't quite hear. The glint of his mostly concealed tears catching the light. Damn it, the explosive hero couldn't just stand there and do nothing.

With an exasperated sigh, Bakugou turned to the girl. "What the Fuck do I have to do to adopt the mutt," he growled through grit teeth.

A smug smile spread across her face. One the future hero wished he could blast away with one of the explosions. Kachina pulled a clipboard off oh her father's desk and placed it in front of Bakugou. A pen already clipped to it. Almost as if she had planned for all this to happen. "After the investigation, the dog will be sent to the shelter closest to where he was found. Lucky for you, my dad is their main veterinarian, and we keep a stack of adoption papers here for instances just like this."

"How fucking thoughtful of you," Bakugou snarled as he furiously scribbled down his information. Almost breaking the pen in the process. Muttering a long list of profanities under his breath while Kirishima hung off of him like some kind of grateful koala.

"Now just to be clear, Shitty-hair. I'm only signing for it. It's up to you to take care of it and find some other loser to adopt it. Understand?" the ash-blonde practically hissed.

"Of course!" Kirishima beamed. Hugging Bakugou even tighter. The dog squirming to get out of the suffocating embrace. "You're the best, Bakugou!"

"Anything else?" the ash-blonde asked the Reiki. Rudely tossing the clipboard onto the desk.

Reiki finally allowed himself to smile. "Normally there's an adoption fee, but I'll pay for that myself. I'm just glad the pup found a home, even if you were guilted into it. I know the feeling well," the brunette revealed after giving his daughter a chastising look. Reiki picked a photo off his desk and showed it to the teens. It showed him, Kachina and a little girl, no older than 7, surrounded by numerous animals of varying sizes and unorthodox colors. "As you can see, we've taken in four already. And even though we're stretched thin with their mostly harmless quirks, we don't regret saving them at all."

"Thanks for everything, Kachina!" Kirishima thanked one last time as she ushered them out of the room. Her father staying behind to attempt tidying up the backroom a little.

"It was no problem," she giggled. Handing Kiri a couple of goodie bags filled to the brim with supplies for the first time parents. Kirishima taking it gladly after adjusting his hold on the husky pup when Bakugou strolled past without a second glance. "And don't worry. I'm sure you two will do great. Considering you two are heroes after all," Kachina praised with a smirk. Immediately shutting the backroom door on them with a laugh when the explosive teen's head whirled to face her with a furious expression.

'Sneaky bitch.' Bakugou cursed silently. His eye twitching with unrivaled annoyance. Realizing that guilting them into this had been her plan the second, she realized they were from UA. He had half a mind of breaking down the door and returning the broken dog back to them but ultimately decided against it. 'I'll make her pay for this later.'

"Ah, boys," Mr. Bakugou greeted them once they stepped into the lobby. It looked like he had been nodding off if his tousled hair was anything to go by. Something his son instantly envied him for as fatigue made his limbs feel exceptionally heavy. "I managed to get a hold of your homeroom teacher. I briefed him on the situation, and while he didn't sound happy about it, he approved of you bringing the dog to school until this case is resolved."

"Yeah, it's gonna be a little longer than that," Bakugou muttered bitterly.

His father looked concerned. "What do you mean?"

Too tired to explain everything, the ash-blonde simply replied, "We just adopted it." Pointing a rude thumb to where the Ball-of-Sunshine was currently talking to the fluffy creature in an annoying baby voice. An evil smirk contorted the explosive hero's face then. "So, you might want to break the news to the Old Hag."

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**Like always, I hope you're enjoying the story so far and I hope you continue to keep reading. If you would be so kind as to give me kudos, likes or leave a review or comments on the story so far would be absolutely amazing. **


	4. Babbling Of A Million Sidekicks

**_In honor of it being Bakugou's Birthday, I've decided to rush the editing of this chapter so everyone can enjoy it during these trying times. Hope you enjoy!_**

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**_Bakugou P. O. V. _**

It was well past midnight by the time the two hero students arrived at their school. The muggy midsummer air made their clothes cling to their skin uncomfortably with the excess of perspiration. Their sluggish footsteps softly echoed along the pavement as they made the lengthy stroll to their dorms, while their equally drowsy puppy limped alongside them. Periodically taking advantage of it's teleporting quirk to ease its progress.

Any hope of silently sneaking up to their rooms unnoticed was instantly dashed when they spotted the familiar scruffy form of their homeroom teacher through the window. The eraser hero was sitting expectantly in one of the dining room chairs, effectively blocking the only route to the upper floors. The yellow glow from a single light source in the kitchen cast long ominous shadows across his face, his trusty capture weapon, and the golden goggles around his neck.

"Welcome back," Aizawa greeted when they stepped into the lobby. His charcoal eyes regarded each of them in turn before it settled on the husky puppy sitting obediently at their feet. Unlike with the medical staff, the mutt didn't exhibit any negative first impressions toward the raven-haired man. In fact, it felt comfortable enough to lay down, entirely at ease, in his presence. An indecipherable emotion reflected in their teacher's dark eyes before his gaze rested on his students once more.

"Bakugou, your father briefly informed me of what happened in Serenno. Is there anything the two of you would like to add?"

"Not really," The explosive hero grumbled. The majority of his weight instinctively shifted to one leg as he roughly shouldered the camping bag higher while irritably rolling his shoulder. The movement helped alleviate some of the pressure the straps of the cumbersome pack inflicted as it dug into him. "Other than we're stuck with this ticking time bomb for the unforeseeable future."

Aizawa raised an eyebrow at that. Picking up on the underlying irritation in Bakugou's voice. However, the seasoned hero made no further comment to address this concern. Fully aware that there was little he could do to intimidate Bakugou into speaking when he was in a surly mood. The redhead, though, was a different story. The Ball-of-Sunshine couldn't hide anything from a teacher to save his life.

"Umm, it seems that the puppy has a quirk," Kirishima explained sheepishly. The shark-toothed teen then proceeded to tell everything that happened to them in great detail, including what Reiki had said about the mutt's quirk and how Bakugou agreed to house the dog until they found a suitable home for it.

While Kirishima dutifully recounted the events of the day for their sensei, Bakugou's crimson eyes lazily scanned the common room. Evidence of the rest of their class attempting to wait up for them was scattered all over the place. Though it was apparent, they had been sent to their rooms by Aizawa some time ago.

Gathering together had become an unspoken tradition Class-A had adopted when one of their peers was missing or had gotten into some kind of trouble off-campus. A hodgepodge of sofa cushions and blankets had been assembled to make an impressive pillow fort, held together with copious amounts of Sero's tape. Paused on the big screen was a scene that depicted fluffy animals from some Disney movie from Bakugou's childhood he had forgotten the name of long ago. Various plates covered with half-eaten sweets from Sato notorious stress baking, as well as cans of soda and loose popcorn, were littered across the area. However, it seemed most ended up on the floor if the occasional crunching under his feet were anything to go by. And finally, sitting on the table was a basket filled to the brim with Bakugou and Kirishima's favorite comfort foods. It was a sickeningly sweet display that threatened to make the ash-blonde hurl the remnants of his breakfast.

The eraser hero listened to the sturdy hero's explanation thoughtfully. Only interrupting to ask the occasional question. Bakugou didn't think Aizawa could look anymore exhausted, but, upon hearing the news of the puppy having some sort of teleportation quirk, he seemed to have aged another 10 years before their very eyes.

"It would end up being you two, that stumble upon something like this," Aizawa sighed in exasperation after Kirishima's report. His fingers squeezing the bridge of his nose to ward off the inevitable migraine they were sure to have caused. "I suppose I should be relieved you didn't go off charging after a villain that probably vacated the area years prior."

"What makes you think the villain escaped that long ago?" Bakugou asked with a huff.

The quirk erasing hero pulled out his cellphone. On it displayed a photo of the restraints they had uncovered. "The Serenno police department sent this to the school a few minutes before your father called," he replied in a bored tone. He zoomed in before continuing, "This cuff model has mostly been phased out in the cities, though some smaller areas still use this outdated equipment. Judging from the condition these restraints are in, the police were able to deduce that they were in a desolate environment a couple years before them ending up in the lake."

A scowl tugged at Bakugou's lips. "If the villain escaped years ago, then that could mean that the villain and the low-life who dumped the mutt could be completely unrelated," the hot-tempered teen muttered. His hands balled into frustrated fists at his sides.

_Fucking great._

"That is a possibility," the raven-haired man replied indifferently. "We'll know for sure as the investigation progresses. Until then, you two are responsible for taking care of this dog until this matter is resolved, though that isn't an excuse to let this interfere with your studies. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!" Kiri brown-nosed with an over the top salute.

"Yeah, whatever," muttered the ash-blonde.

Believing that was the end of the conversation, Bakugou started making his way toward the stairs. His body longing for a good night's sleep after this nightmare of a day. Faint shuffling behind him announced that Kirishima was following not far behind. However, their teacher clearing his throat gave him pause. Looking over his shoulder, he saw that Aizawa had silently gotten to his feet. His teacher's hands casually placed into the deep pockets of his hero costume.

"Bakugou, Kirishima, you both did well today," their teacher praised them suddenly, catching both students off guard. The encouraging words freezing the blonde in place. His mind too overwhelmed to fully comprehend their meaning. Aizawa hardly ever praised his students, and on the rare instances he did, it was addressed to the class as a whole. This was different. It was personalized just for them, and the pro hero wasn't finished either.

"You both stayed calm, assessed the situation, and saved a life just as you had been taught. The task might not have been as flashy as taking down villains, but it is just as important. Never forget that" Aizawa expressed almost fondly. With the slightest hint of a smile on his lips, their teacher finished with, "You did UA proud today. Keep up the good work."

Not wanting anyone to see how truly touched he was by the first real words of encouragement he received since his kidnapping, Bakugou let out an ambiguous grunt before continuing toward the stairs. Waiting in the stairwell just out of sight of the underground hero for Kirishima to finish thanking their teacher for his kind words. The blonde's hand quickly brushed the frustrated tears from his eyes before the redhead could see them.

_Fucking get a hold of yourself already, _he chided himself harshly.

_It's not like I needed to hear someone validate my miserable existence or anything. I don't need anyone's acknowledgment. I'm Bakugou Fucking Katsuki, for Fuck's sake!_

He managed to wipe the last of the tears from his face mere seconds before Kirishima joined him in the stairwell with the puppy held in his arms. Relieved that it was too dark for his friend to see how red and puffy his eyes had become.

"I don't know about you, but I'm ready to sleep for the next week, at least!" Kirishima yawned, showing off his sharp canines.

The explosive hero grunted his agreement. Too exhausted to voice an actual response. Together they made the daunting climb to the fourth floor. Taking turns leaning against each other for support along the way. The husky making himself comfy in the redhead's arms.

When they eventually reached their floor, they immediately took notice of the large box filled with dog supplies and toys placed in front of Kirishima's door. Attached to the front was a handwritten note written in the most pretentious calligraphy Bakugou had ever seen. An act which screaming that their vice-president was to blame for this intrusion. She must have been made aware of their situation and took it upon herself to force herself into their business by creating the pet supplies for them.

_That fucking spoiled rich girl was always meddling into everyone's business…_

His personal rant tampered off. Recalling how Ponytail had risked her life to attach a tracking device to the nomu that had almost killed her in the hopes it could be used to track the League's movements to find where he was being held captive. She had also made a second tracing device to aid Kirishima's half baked scheme to rescue him, which by some miracle had actually been successful. He refused to entertain the thought that it might be due to a particular useless nerd.

_I guess I could give her a pass... just this once. _

With a dismissive huff, he strolled past the package to head to his room. More than ready to put this aggravating day behind him. All but dragging his camping packs across the floor as sleep beckoned him. Waving a farewell to Kirishima over his shoulder as he went. His way of passively wishing the other luck with the dog.

"G'night," he mumbled, barely managing to get the words out in his sleepy stupor.

There's a faint giggle behind him. "Yeah, goodnight sleepyhead," the redhead chuckled. Knowing full well that Bakugou lacked the energy to fight him about his comment at the moment. Hell, the explosive hero couldn't even be bothered to expend the energy to grunt back. All Bakugou wanted right then was to sleep for all eternity. Or you know until his alarm woke him up because no way in hell was he going to let this affect his perfect attendance record.

The ash-blonde practically melted into his bed. Not bothering to undress and barely kicked off his boots after dropping everything he was carrying noisily onto the floor. A sleepy smirk pulled at his lips, knowing that Four-eyes below probably got rudely woken up from the abrupt clamor. With the humorous thought pushed aside, Bakugou nuzzled his face further into his pillow. Imagining, it was Kirishima's warm chest as he waited for a blissful sleep to envelop him.

_Speaking of that idiot. _

Even as sleep steadily washed over Bakugou, he could faintly hear several suspicious **_thunks_**echoing throughout the adjacent room. All of which was quickly followed by a chorus of anxious shushing. Intrusive sounds that the explosive hero attributed to Kirishima chasing after the mutt as it ravaged his dorm similar to what it had done to the vet's office.

And that's when the pitiful whimpering started.

Bit by bit, the crying grew in intensity until it turned into full-on howling. Aggravated, Bakugou clumsily pulled the pillow over his ears, but the noise continued to persist. Because of-fucking-course it did. A couple minutes later, there's a reprieve from the crying, just as an apologetic knock sounded on his door. Bakugou didn't have to get up to know it was Kirishima standing wholly defeated on the other side. Having failed his attempt to sleep alone with the puppy in his room.

Knowing this madness wouldn't relent without Bakugou stepping in to help, the hothead irritably barked, "Just hurry up and get in here!" from the comfort of his bed. He was not about to make the walk to let them in himself. And he needn't worry what others would think of the redhead sleeping in his room after the spectacle they all heard. If it meant getting a good night's sleep, their overworked class could overlook anything.

Understanding how he felt, Kirishima slowly opened the door to his room. Letting in the faintest traces of moonlight from the hallway window. "I'm sooo sorry about this, Bakugou," the shark-toothed teen groveled with a look of utter defeat on his face. Embarrassed tears streamed comically down his face as though they were twin waterfalls. Rightfully soaking the dog, the redhead carried in his arms like a baby. The mangy mutt's tail wagged happily when it caught sight of Bakugou across the room. Completely oblivious that he was one more sound away from flinging it out the window.

"Poor little guy was stressed that you weren't around. He practically destroyed my room as he teleported everywhere looking for you. He didn't calm down until he caught your scent in the hallway," Kirishima explained in a hushed tone. Gently setting the pup down on the dog bed, he had brought over and set it up right beside Bakugou's. Fully aware that the blonde was glaring at his back while he worked.

When Kirishima was about to lie down beside the husky, he felt a hand grab hold of his shirt. Looking over his shoulder, the sturdy hero saw a pair of sleepy crimson eyes glowering at him.

"No, on the bed," the sleepyhead ordered. The slightest traces of a pout on his lips. Too sleep-deprived to care how pathetic he might have looked at that moment.

"This wasn't how today was supposed to go. Just sleep on the bed with me, please?" Bakugou pleaded softly. He hadn't realized until then how much of a toll the day had taken on him. It was simply too much for him to bear alone. He needed comfort. And there was only one person in the whole world he was willing to accept it from.

The redhead smiled softly at him. "You know I'd love to Bakugou, but I feel like the puppy is going to start crying again if at least one of us isn't down here with him," he explained with a nervous chuckle.

"Then bring him," Bakugou mumbled quietly. His eyes getting heavier with each second. "But if he pisses in my bed, I'm going to kill the both of you…"

The Ball-of-Sunshine laughed at that. "I understand, Bakugou. It's a deal," he grinned, gently scooping up the drowsy pup before snuggling up closer to the ash-blonde. However, the latter was already snoring softly. Sleep having already claimed him for the night.

Giggling a bit more, Kirishima lovingly ran his fingers through the fluffy ash-blonde locks. Pushing some of it out of the other teens face where it threatened to tickle him awake, before burrowing his face in the crook of Bakugou's neck. Breathing in his usual sweet caramel smell with traces of lingering campfire smoke mix in from their mountain adventure. With a content sigh, Kirishima let the relaxing scents lull him to sleep, while his arm protectively held the husky pup close to his other side. In a matter of minutes, a chorus of snores filled the room from the three exhausted inhabitants.

**_Next Day_**

The common room bustled with an unusual amount of activity for a Monday by the time the two heroes arrived the next morning. Everyone crowded together in the shared space, even those that generally slept in until the very last minute. All of them eager to catch a glimpse of the dorm's furry new resident. They had either heard from Aizawa that the mutt would be staying in the dorms until the case was solved, or they had been woken up from pup's crying during the night. It didn't make much difference either way. The dog wouldn't be staying long if Bakugou had anything to do with it.

Obnoxious squeals immediately reverberated against the ash-blonde's aching ears the second they walked out of the elevator. Causing Bakugou to wince involuntarily with their high grating pitch. Their female classmates had instantly surrounded them, causing the bundle of fur to duck behind their legs in fear, as a million questions flew off their tongues at the speed of light. Only parting long enough to allow an irritable Bakugou to slip past them for a much-needed cup of coffee.

"OMG A PUPPY!" Raccoon-eyes shrieked over the crowd.

"Can I please hold him Kirishima?" the unmistakable voice of Roundface asked as politely as she could in her excitement.

"NO, ME FIRST!" whined the floating uniform.

"Hagakure, please calm down. Your floating clothes are scaring him," the vice president rebuked softly.

As Bakugou walked, he risked a passive glance behind him. Through the gaps of bodies converging together, he could just barely make out Kirishima holding the nervous puppy in his arms. Gently urging everyone to be mindful of its injury and to refrain from overwhelming it. Even in the few seconds, Bakugou watched them, the dog steadily grew accustomed to the overzealous attention the annoying sidekicks were giving it. No doubt, the shit ton of treats they all practically shoved in the dog's face were doing wonders for its socialization. Still, it was an impressive feat considering what little human interactions it had accumulated before then had most likely been traumatizing.

Rounding the corner to the kitchen, Bakugou found himself face to face with another pair of heterochromatic eyes. These ones, gray and turquoise instead of the husky's icy blue and pale green. The resemblance the two of them shared with one another, instantly irritated the ash-blonde further.

"Out of my way Icyhot. I'm not in the mood for your bullshit this morning," Bakugou muttered, mildly shouldering the other teen out of his way so he could grab some of his leftover curry from the fridge. Pretending not to hear the dual quirk users polite greeting to him.

After dishing the food into a pan to reheat, he started making his morning coffee. The smell of overly scorched coffee grounds made his nose wrinkle in disgust, as he dumped what little liquid remained in the pot. Shooting his classmate a dirty look while he replaced the filter, convinced the pyro had something to do with it after noticing part of the coffee maker had been melted. Todoroki's face, however, was as impossible to decipher as ever.

"I never would have pegged you as a dog person," Icyhot mentioned randomly. Completely ignoring Bakugou's personal space as he scooted closer to grab his own cup of the freshly brewed coffee. Oblivious to the hate-filled glare, Bakugou shot him as he did so. "It's a welcome surprise."

"Yeah, well sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not," The explosive hero scoffed with an excessive roll of his eyes. Bakugou took a leisurely sip of his black beverage. The warmth and bitter taste just what he needed after a restless night. Feeling a little more like himself, he added, "Not that it's any of _your_ business, but I actually prefer cats to dogs. You want to know why?"

To be completely honest, Todoroki didn't really care why. Though he was intrigued, the hothead was actually willing to share any sort of personal information with him at all. A small part of Todoroki deluded himself into thinking that maybe he had laid the foundation down to become better friends with the prickly beast of their class after spending every weekend with him to gain their provincial licenses. So following Midoriya's ever-positive example to be mindful of the people surrounding him, the naive teen asked, "Why's that?"

Bakugou stepped closer to Icyhot, acting like he was going to whisper something privately in the dual quirk user's ear. But as anyone else could have easily guessed, that wasn't what the blonde had in mind at all. Instead, the hothead shouted at the top of his lungs, "Because they have the decency to mind their own fucking business, that's why!"

Todoroki immediately hated himself for falling for that childish trick. He really should have seen it coming. Yet he couldn't even bring himself to be mad at Bakugou for deceiving him. Perhaps if his father didn't deny him the opportunity to experience sibling rivalry growing up, the dual quirk user wouldn't have to rely on his friends' many lessons in proper social interactions to help him navigate his way through the world. So instead, the antisocial teen chose to look at Bakugou's prank as a learning experience for the future.

"Makes sense actually," Icyhot replied in a neutral tone, much to the blonde's disappointment. One hand casually checking to see if his ear had been ruptured from the sudden outburst while the fire and ice user took this opportunity to take his own sip of coffee. "You're basically a cat already," Todoroki insulted without meaning too.

The statement caused Bakugou to explode, quite literally.

"And what's that supposed to mean, you Icyhot bastard!" Bakugou boomed, ready to brawl.

Todoroki took a moment to contemplate this before answering plainly, "Well, no offense, but your kind of a dick."

If the dual quirk user's ice wall had been even a fraction of a second slower, Todoroki probably would have been blasted all the way to the second or third floor of the building. Further, if Bakugou had actually put his back into the attack. Instead, the clash of their opposing quirks simply canceled each other out. Shattering a few dishes and mugs in the process. But that was a regular occurrence for their dorm.

Bakugou held his glare with the bored heterochromatic eyes until they blinked. Unaware of the unofficial staring contest they had been a part of. With a smug smirk, the ash-blonde straightened out of his attack stance to retrieve his abandoned mug from the counter. Taking a victory sip from it despite the lip of the cup being chipped in some places.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to take the mutt off my hands?" Bakugou muttered behind the rim of his broken mug. He might as well start helping Kirishima find a new home for the thing. Knowing the redhead, he was going to put the task off until the last second in hopes of discovering a way to keep the thing.

_Not if I have anything to say about it. _

His classmate pondered his words carefully. Most likely wondering if Bakugou was serious or not after the stunt he had just pulled on him. After what seemed like an eternity, Todoroki finally provided an answer to his inquiry.

"I appreciate the offer, but I don't think I would be the right fit," Icyhot declined politely. His bi-colored eyes looking thoughtfully at his own reflection in the drink in his hands. "I can barely take care of myself. I don't think I would be responsible enough to take care of another living creature."

Bakugou grunted in agreement. He had expected as much. It would have been too easy for the first person asked to accept his proposal. Even still, the ash-blonde couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. The Todoroki family could definitely afford the costly fees associated with having a quirked animal, not to mention Bakugou was reasonably sure the abused family could benefit from having an energetic puppy in the home. Anything to distract them from what a piece of utter crap Endeavour was to them.

_Maybe sending the dog, there wouldn't have been the best idea anyway… _Bakugou mused, remembering they had just saved the dog from its own abusive environment. As if eavesdropping on his thoughts, the pain in the ass continued.

"I could ask my sister if she's interested, but I don't think she'd want to," Icyhot offered in the same polite tone. Obviously, just going through the motions of engaging in small talk without actually giving a damn about the outcome. When it came to social interactions, Todoroki was even worse at it than Bakugou was. If such a thing were possible.

The explosive teen waved him off dismissively. "Nah, forget it. I'll find someone else to dump him on," Bakugou assured smugly. Walking past his classmate again to retrieve his reheated curry from the stovetop. Feeling civil enough to not shove him aside this time around.

A sudden chorus of gasps immediately stole their attention to where the rest of their classmates were gathered in the other room. Months of hero training urged them toward the source of the sound without a second thought. The plate of curry in Bakugou's hand clattered to the ground after abandoning it in his hurry to reach the rest of his class.

When they round the corner, they expect to find themselves amid yet another villain attack, but all they saw was the rest of their class frantically searching around the room. Just when Icyhot began to ask what happened to cause everyone to panic, a heavy weight abruptly landed on top of Bakugou's head.

"Oh, Hell, no!" The ash-blonde snarled in the most menacing tone he could muster. A skillful hand reached up to firmly grab a fist full of fur, momentarily steadying the mutt who had been struggling to keep from falling off of him. Before carefully pulling him from his person to hold him at arm's length by the scruff of the neck. "Get the hell off me!"

Too busy glaring at the wriggling pup in his grip, Bakugou almost didn't hear the nerd's next words. "H-how did he get over there, Kacchan?" Deku mumbled from somewhere on the other side of the room.

The aggravating voice caused Bakugou's head to whirl in his direction at the familiar childhood nickname. The nerd's green eyes stared expectantly at him in that same aggravating manner they had always done since they were kids.

"What's the matter, nerd," Bakugou sneered through clenched teeth. A smirk spreading across his face with the realization that he had uncovered something before his nerdy rival. "You've never seen an animal with a quirk before?"

Another collective gasp sounded from the class at this new revelation. Everyone glanced from Bakugou to Kirishima, and finally to the pup still playfully hanging in the ash-blonde's hand with mixed expressions. Until eventually, the flood gates opened as a million questions bombarded them. A ruthless interrogation eventually silenced by a stern warning from Aizawa, who had come to investigate the suspicious noise complaints that nearby dorms had reported to him.

"That's enough," Aizawa ordered impatiently. His eyes glowing red as his scruffy black hair stood up with the activation of his quirk. Making him look as intimidating as ever despite the dark circles under his eyes. "Hurry up and get to class before I expel the whole lot of you," he threatened, intensifying his gaze on anyone unfortunate to meet his eyes.

"Yes, sir!" Everyone cowered in unison.

The group of future heroes frantically scrambled to collect their possessions, a quick breakfast and ran out the main doors before their promising hero careers could be cut short. Taking advantage of the chaos that surrounded them, Bakugou grabbed hold of Kirishima's sleeve. Hastily pulling his friend toward the exit, in the hope that disappearing into the crowd would hide their retreat.

"As for you two," a slightly irritated voice announced ominously from behind as a firm hand roughly grabbed hold of each of their shoulders. Dashing any delusions, the explosive hero might have clung to for a clean getaway.

A crimson glare reflexively aimed at the teacher above, but his jaw remained clenched to prevent the curses on his tongue from spilling out. Even Bakugou knew better than to tell off the underground hero.

"You're both to meet me in Principle Nezu's office after school. From there, we can discuss your involvement with the ongoing investigation and your options regarding the dog. Don't be late," Aizawa informed them in his no-nonsense tone. When he had said his peace, the scruffy hero removed his hands from their shoulders and strolled out the door.

The rest of the morning carried on at a sluggish pace for the irritable blonde. Attending homeroom as usual with the troublesome pup tied to Bakugou's desk with one of the leashes Ponytail had created for them the night before. After some trial and error, it seemed to be the only way to keep him from escaping.

The ash-blonde theorized it had something to do with the extra weight that prevented it from teleporting around as it pleased. Bakugou felt slightly guilty for tying it up so soon after its rescue, but it couldn't be helped. Besides, the husky didn't appear to mind having its movement limited as long as he and Kirishima remained close by. It seemed content to gnaw passively on a rubber chew toy or the Red Riot themed leash it was attached to for the duration of the class.

Bakugou's tired crimson eyes stayed locked on the chalkboard in front of the room. Pretending to pay attention as he scribbled down jumbled notes on the lesson he barely heard. Painfully aware of everyone's focus on him. He tried to ignore the various levels of amusement everyone shot his way as everyone tried to sneak a peek at the fluffy bundle pawing playfully at his feet. Tiny puppy teeth made quick work of untying the laces on his favorite combat boots. Stumbling over its oversized paws to playfully chase after Bakugou's feet, which always moved just out of reach. The hero's eye twitched at yet another distraction he had to ignore.

Hushed giggling echoing around him grated on his nerves even though he knew they weren't directed at him specifically. He hated this type of attention and was angry that Pikachu and Rockface ruined any chance for Kirishima to babysit the dog after they both got chewed out for not paying attention to the lecture when they were caught playing with it. Thus forcing Bakugou to endure this nonsense.

The only solace Bakugou had was that they both were permitted to take frequent breaks outside to avoid possible accidents. Time and silence, Bakugou relished with Kiri, away from the curious eyes that never seemed to leave him the entire morning. The explosive hero couldn't wait for all this to be over with. Longing to return to his normal life.

Eventually, the school bell rang, which announced the start of their lunch break. Dread immediately washed over Bakugou with the realization that he would soon be surrounded by a sea of noise and bothersome sidekicks thanks to the dog shackled to him. Well aware, there was no use trying to escape the inevitable, the explosive teen gathered his things and allowed himself to be dragged to the cafeteria by his squad of idiots with a husky pup following faithfully beside them.

Distorted faces and muffled voices swirled around Bakugou in a numbing haze as he absently nibbled on a lunch that threatened to make him nauseous with his worsening headache. The ash-blonde's tinnitus had flared with a vengeance after diving into the frigid lake the other day. His high-altitude icy plunge had caused his ears to pop painfully, which still refused to unpop a day later. Upon waking, Bakugou detected a dull ringing echoing in his ears, which steadily worsened over time, making him more irritable than usual. The garbled commotion of the crowded cafeteria not helping him with his current condition. To combat this, Bakugou gingerly placed a couple of disposable earplugs in his ears to help dull the rest of the background noise.

_Better. _

Bakugou breathed a silent sigh of relief. It wasn't much, but it was something, at least.

His squad of misfits attempted to cheer him up as best they could. Each of them kept their voices at respectable levels for once in their lives and gave him plenty of personal space to prevent jostling his person. Knowing full well that throwing off his sense of balance could affect his blood circulation and worsen his migraine tenfold. All of them were able to recognize the signs that his worsening hearing loss was affecting him severely after spending so much time with him over the past few months. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the rest of their classmates and the students from other departments who continued to hover around them to meet the furry creature they were forced to take care of.

Their loud squeals and needless talking worsened the ringing in his ears with each comment, which threatened to set him off at any second. It didn't matter if the explosive hero tried to avoid the creature or not, or if he forced Kiri to take it somewhere else. The dog would utilize its quirk to seek him out without fail every time. Leaving a path of destruction in its wake as it zipped between people's legs or knocked objects over in its frenzy to be by his side—a regular ball of chaos.

It seemed to be Bakugou's fate to always be burdened with the nonsensical babble of a million sidekicks. The constant unbearable cadence of bystanders he hardly cared to ever learn the names of threatened to tear his already aching skull in half. He could feel his anger steadily reaching dangerous levels as the pain thumping in his head became excruciating. It was starting to make him dizzy, so much so, Bakugou hadn't realized he had rested his head against the cool lunch table to ease his burning face.

_Why do I feel so overheated all of a sudden?_

If he were better friends with Icyhot, the explosive teen might have asked him for some ice to regulate his temperature. However, even when Bakugou felt like he was dying, his pride would never allow himself to admit that emo nerd could ever be useful.

_No, the noise just needed to _**_stop._**

Bakugou thought in between irregular pants. Stubbornly forcing himself to raise his head off the table, albeit a little unsteadily. His vision darkened slightly at the edges, for his trouble.

_It needed to stop _**_now_**_. Before, it drives me to blast the whole school to kingdom come._

A terrifying bark suddenly cut through the commotion then. Silencing the whole cafeteria in an instant. The absence of white noise immediately relieved the aching in Bakugou's ears, granting the explosive hero his first breath of clarity of the day.

The ash-blonde's crimson gaze turned to see the little mutt perched on the table protectively beside him. Silver lips pulled back in a silent snarl to reveal dozens of sharp pointy teeth as it's frizzed tail stood at attention. The husky's bi-colored eyes glowed ominously with the activation of his quirk, going so far as to make his outline fade in and out of existence, but ultimately remained where he was.

The surprising performance caused the puppy to appear intimidating for the first time since his rescue. Earning the mutt, a sliver of Bakugou's respect. Even better, the display scared off everyone that wasn't in their class. The rest of the spineless extras quickly dispersed as the dog continued to stare them down with its eerie gaze. A low growl resonating deep within its little body at a frequency Bakugou was unable to hear.

_Did the mutt turn on its quirk just to intimidate everyone to leave?_

The blonde wondered to himself. If that was true, it showcased the creature's ability to assess a situation and swiftly decide on the correct behavior to achieve it's preferred outcome. Bakugou knew a lot of idiots who couldn't pull that level of strategic planning off under pressure. The ash-blonde recalled what that brat, Kachina had said about quirked animals being incredibly intelligent. According to the veterinary assistant, a quirked animal's intelligence often rivaled a human's.

Curious, Bakugou subtly whispered under his breath, "Hey mutt, do me a favor and try to keep a low profile from now on. I don't need anyone outside of the usual sidekicks berating my ears with their useless chatter. You got that?"

To his amazement, the husky barked softly in response, followed swiftly by a purposeful swish of his tail. The explosive hero also noted that the sound didn't make his tinnitus flare-up.

With another wag of his tail, the dog teleported off the table instead of merely jumping down. He reappeared under the table a few seconds later. Curling into a fluffy ball at his feet-out of view of everyone-before dozing off to sleep. The exchange left a triumphant smirk on Bakugou's face as he continued the rest of the lunch period in peace. All the while, Kirishima regarded both of them with growing interest.

**After School **

After establishing some ground rules with the troublesome husky, the rest of the day carried on without further incidents. The canine faithfully obeying any commands, either of them gave him with minimal slip-ups. He was still an energetic puppy after all, who needed to be entertained thoroughly to keep his animal instincts at bay. The dog effectively destroyed two chew toys, the leash they had brought along with them, and one of the legs of Bakugou's desk. Oh well, the explosive hero was due for a replacement anyway considering scorch marks had already littered a generous portion of it.

Despite no longer having a leash to secure him, the mutt dutifully remained within two feet from either Bakugou or Kirishima at all times. Showcasing great restraint as he expertly Resisting the most formidable temptations that happened to catch his attention. The biggest being Ojirou's tail thumping rhythmically against the floor a few seats over. The husky's heterochromatic eyes had locked onto the steady movement while his own tail swished behind it in a predatory fashion. Impressing Bakugou with how the dog was able to suppress his hunting instincts, considering he could teleport over there to attack and be back in the blink of an eye.

When the final bell of the day tolled, Bakugou, Kirishima, and their furry charge made their way to Principal Nezu's office. The two future heroes engaged in pleasant small talk as the puppy phased in and out of existence in step with them. Upon arriving, they were met with the familiar faces of their homeroom teacher, the other quirked animal, and that one detective that had helped discover Bakugou's location during his kidnapping. Memories from that night forced the explosive teen to break eye contact with the otherwise friendly looking man.

"What the hell is _he_ doing here?" Bakugou muttered irritably, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his school uniform. His default response to any potentially invasive social interaction was to become unreasonably angry. A fiery crimson glare aimed at the underground hero accusingly.

"Detective Tsukauchi is going to take the lead on this investigation," Aizawa informed them in his usual bored tone. His hand covering his mouth as he suppressed a yawn before he continued, "After personally driving to Serenno early this morning to speak with the local police department, they determined this was more Tsukauchi's area of expertise."

_Fucking figures._

Bakugou rolled his eyes at the shabby police force's incompetence.

"We have another guest with us today, though they, unfortunately, couldn't be here personally," principal Nezu announced cheerfully, turning his laptop around to face everyone. The child-sized rodent's voice pulled the ash-blonde teen from his thoughts. "I'm sure you two will recognize them," the principal assured as he pressed a button on his computer.

"What's up heroes?" a feminine voice greeted a second before the familiar sight of strawberry blonde curls, and cheerful turquoise eyes stepped into the frame. Both of their jaws dropped to the ground when they recognized the teenage veterinary assistant, Kachina, broadcasted across the tiny screen.

They weren't the only ones surprised by this development. Aizawa and Nezu both turned toward the laptop as well. A clear look of surprise mirrored on their faces.

"Greetings, Kachina-chan," replied the overgrown mouse after he recovered a bit. "I thought we were meeting with your father, Reiki, on this matter?"

The teenager shrugged. "Yeah, well, he had to tend to an emergency at the bear sanctuary. So I was asked to fill in instead."

"Oh, dear, I hope everything is alright?" Nezu implored with genuine concern.

"Don't worry, my dad is only aiding in the delivery of a couple bear cubs. The mother tends to be violent against any other veterinarians is all," she assured them with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"That's great to hear," he chuckled. "I don't want to take up too much of your time, so would you like to explain why you're here?"

"I would love to Nezu," Kachina grinned, her eyes sparkled with excitement from speaking with one of her role models. She turned her turquoise eyes to regard Bakugou and Kirishima, who had watched the interaction with various levels of bewilderment. "I'm standing in for my dad as the required Animal Quirk Specialist to get your pet into the Official Quirk Database."

This information snapped Bakugou out of his trance. "You honestly expect me to believe you're qualified to be a Quirk Specialist? You're too young to be certified," the explosive hero yelled at the bratty teen before him.

"Nuh-uh!" Kachina whined immaturely. Her cheeks puffed out in the same childish manner they had back at the clinic. Her tiny hands balled into tiny fists in front of her like she was prepared to fight him over this. The three-hour drive that separated them filled the strawberry blonde with a false sense of confidence. "I'm plenty qualified, you jerk!"

Sparks popped dangerously off the hot-tempered hero's hands at the remark, rightfully scaring Kachina back in her place once she noticed the monstrous intensity reflecting in his blood-red gaze. "You want to run that by me again, short-stuff?" he threatened darkly. Stepping closer to the screen until only his terrifying snarl could be seen on her monitor.

"No, thank you!" she yelped, cowering farther into her father's office. Shielding her frightened face behind a clipboard with shaking hands.

The sound of a cough caught both of their attention.

"Simmer down, Bakugou," Aizawa warned sternly. It was the voice he always used when he rebuked the ash-blonde's less than desirable outbursts in the field.

Annoyed, Bakugou let out a **_tch_**, before crossing his arms with most of his weight balanced on one leg.

When the pro hero was sure his student had calmed down, he continued with, "Don't let looks deceive you. Despite her young age, Kachina has already graduated from Takoba University with multiple degrees in Quirk Development, with a specialization in Quiked Animals," the raven-haired teacher revealed. Relishing in the bewildered expressions on his students' faces. "In fact, the only person more qualified in this field would be her father, Reiki."

"Not for long," Kachina interrupted with a smug grin. "I'm a month away from completing my third dissertation. If it's approved, I'll finally pull ahead of my dad," she announced proudly. Flashing them all a peace sign while she stuck her tongue out to Bakugou. The explosive hero practically smoked under her self-satisfied gaze as he seethed after being proved wrong.

"Congrats, Kachina!" Kirishima praised, speaking up for the first time. Probably too lost in the various topics to contribute to the conversation before then.

She brightened further with his praise. "Thank you so much, Kirishima!" Kachina grinned. Waving at him and the puppy in his arms, who had started barking happily once he recognized her. She turned her attention back to Bakugou. "So, as you can see, I'm more than qualified to counsel you all in this matter."

Bakugou rolled his eyes. Unwilling to give her the satisfaction of admitting he was wrong.

The young quirk prodigy graciously allowed the detective to present his information first so he could get some much-needed rest after a long day of traveling back and forth between their two cities. The walking polygraph gave a brief summary regarding the case thus far, and what the students' involvement with it would comprise of. Basically reiterating what Aizawa had told them the night before. The detective tried to appear positive, but even Kirishima could tell the odds of catching the guy responsible were slim to none. Especially once they discovered that the serial number on the restraint had been filed off beyond repair.

_Just our fucking luck._

The rest of the meeting consisted of registering the dog in the quirk database. Apparently, animals are registered in the same database for humans. The only difference being that the puppy would be listed under Bakugou-for the time being- since he was currently the one responsible for the dog's care.

Everyone present who had spent any length of time with the puppy summarized their observations regarding the dog's quirk. The two aspiring heroes thoroughly recounted how the husky used his quirk, and the quirk's limitations exhibited so far.

They described how, after injuring his foot, the puppy had grown accustomed to using his power to aid his movement and was steadily getting better at controlling it. How the dog appeared to be able to teleport along with anything it carried but was ultimately limited by objects with significant weight. They theorized that this was the reason securing him to the desk prevented him from escaping his confines. The discovery also explained why a villain might secure him to such a burdensome metal restraint instead of something more practical.

With this information aiding them, Kachina ran a quick search in the quirk database to see if there was a matching ability already registered. However, the results came up empty. Granting the duo the privilege to name the newly discovered quirk themselves. After some deliberation, Bakugou eventually decided on, **_"Blink." _**Recalling the stories about a mythical dog-like creature who could teleport to disorient and incapacitate prey.

"Alright, I'll put the dog's quirk as **_'Blink,'_** on his registry," Kachina confirmed cheerfully as she typed away on the keyboard on her end. The faint lyrics of a popular pop song playing somewhere in the background of the veterinary office. It was still hard to believe this brat was one of the top professionals in her field.

"Okay, how does this sound," the strawberry blonde began, taking a deep breath before reading the passage she had finished typing. "'_Blink,' _is the name of a transformation quirk that allows its user to teleport along with anything they can physically hold to a location within 20ft of the user's previous position."

Kachina took a large breath before she carried on.

"The quirk turns the user's body into a mist, unable to be affected by outside forces until they're reassembled after their teleportation. While the quirk starts off slow, the time in between jumps increases in speed the more it is used until it eventually leaves behind multiple translucent afterimages of the user," Kachina finished, immediately taking in a huge breath of fresh air.

Once she caught her breath, the veterinary assistant met their eyes for their approval. "Does that sound about right?" she asked hesitantly.

"Sounds terrifying," the Lead Detective couldn't help but chuckle nervously. His friendly gaze fell on the puppy curled on the floor between them fast asleep. Little snores filling the room as his sides continued to rise and fall peacefully.

_Yeah, no kidding. _

The creature's quirk was severely overpowered, even in its infancy stage. It was the type of ability Bakugou imagined many incompetent sidekicks wished they possessed.

_Or villains... _The explosive hero thought darkly. Reminded of All For One's obsession with stealing powerful abilities. _Left unchecked, this mutt could grow into a real monster. Assuming it survived long enough to master its quirk, that is. _

The thought turned his stomach uncomfortably.

Bakugou hadn't realized that an uneasy silence had fallen over the room until the teen's voice spoke up again.

"Well, the last thing I'm going to need for his profile is a name," she announced cheerfully in an attempt to lift the mood. Though, the revelation only made the ash-blonde tense up. He didn't want to name the thing. And he _definitely _didn't want to get Kirishima's hopes up by giving it one either.

"So what's it going to be?" she prompted with a smile.

Before Kirishima could respond, the explosive hero cut in. "Just put down _Mutt_ for now," Bakugou muttered dismissively. Giving the redhead a hard stare to keep him from protesting.

To drive the point home, he retained eye contact with his friend when he continued. "We've already decided to find another home for_ it_. Its future owners can give it a proper name," the explosive hero finished. Purposefully using the grammatically correct pronouns to refer to the dog as an object instead of a personal pet.

With a quivering lip, Kirishima remained silent on the matter. But it was clear he disagreed full-heartedly with his decision. Perhaps if the others weren't present, Bakugou might have been tempted to cave, to spare the redhead's feelings. But as of that moment, he remained keen on that arrangement.

Kachina pouted at the hothead's proposal. However, since he was currently legally responsible for the dog, she had no choice but to abide by his decision. Irritable mumbling something indecipherable under her breath as she obediently typed the derogatory term into the government database. Any other time the realization might have brought a smirk to his lips, but he couldn't muster the energy for one at the moment.

A bell sounded somewhere off-screen, followed by a hasty, "I'll be right there!" from the quirk prodigy.

"That's a patient, so I have to take off. I believe we've covered everything for now. I'll get in touch later about the mandatory quirk assessment classes. See ya!" she hurriedly replied before logging off.

"I believe we've finished here as well. Take your dog and go back to the dorms," Aizawa dismissed, suppressing another yawn. "I want to speak with Nezu and Tsukauchi alone."

"Don't have to tell us twice," Bakugou muttered in an irritated tone. He had already turned on his heel with a grace only he could pull off. His hand grasping the sturdy hero's wrist to pull him along with him. The nameless puppy trailing behind them in a drowsy stupor.

**_Kirishima P. O. V. _**

An awkward silence fell over the duo on the walk back to the dorms. Nothing like the joyous conversations they shared with each other an hour prior. Each of the future heroes lost in their own thoughts as they contemplated the information that was shared with them. The redhead tried not to dwell on it too much. He still hadn't given up hope that he could keep the little bundle of fur he'd grown attached to despite his best friend warning him not to.

Kirishima couldn't help it. The husky puppy bounding playfully beside them was living proof of their heroic deed. It was the validation the Ball-Of-Sunshine had craved after he swore to himself that he would become the sort of hero people could depend on after his disgraceful performance against that gigantic villain in middle school.

It was incredibly selfish, he knew, but Kirishima wanted to keep the puppy as proof that he had what it took to be a hero. Without a living reminder, the shark-toothed teen feared his many doubts would eventually persuade him that he wasn't cut out for this sort of work.

Besides, if he adopted the dog, he would be ensuring that the puppy would never be put down just because others viewed him as a dangerous creature. All Kiri needed to do was convince Bakugou to back him up on his plan. At least until he was able to care for him all by himself.

His cheeks turned a slight shade of red when he realized that raising the dog together was comparable to a couple raising a kid together. Kirishima hastily shook the thought out of his head.

"Hey Bakugou, do you think we should have Koda talk with the husky?" the redhead proposed in a daze. Already forgetting that the blonde had recently declared, they should start distancing themselves from the dog a few minutes earlier. "Maybe he would be able to get a statement from the puppers and learn more about the abuse case."

"Yeah, sure. Knock yourself out," Bakugou grunted dismissively. Offhandedly wishing him luck with the tedious task Kirishima had given himself. The blonde's eyes drooped slightly from fatigue. "Just leave me out of it."

"Fine, I will," Kirishima pouted childishly. A twinge of disappointment resonated in his chest, knowing that his couple fantasy was being thwarted by the other half of his fictional scenario.

Stunning crimson eyes regarded Kirishima for a few seconds. "And while you're at it, why don't you start asking around to see if anyone wants to take the dog off our hands," Bakugou prompted sharply. Tactlessly reminding him that it would be in his best interest not to get attached to the dog since Bakugou was dead set on not keeping him.

_Well, it was too late for that! _Kirishima whined to himself.

Scrounging up his most cheerful expression, the redhead forced a nervous chuckle. "Come on man, would it really be so bad if we kept him after all-"

"Yes, it would," Bakugou immediately cut in. Shutting down his friend in an instant. The rest of the sturdy hero's words dying on his lips.

Noticing this, the hothead took a reluctant deep breath of fresh air to calm himself. Afterward, his eyes softened a degree, and his tone took on a gentler quality since it was just the two of them.

"I'm not trying to be the bad guy Kiri," Bakugou admitted calmly. The blonde's hand tenderly intertwined with one of Kirishima's within the safety of the summer darkness surrounding them. Offering the redhead a comforting squeeze before continued, "I want you to understand that we're not going to have the time to take care of him properly. That it would be irresponsible to adopt the dog knowing we're both going to be incredibly busy fighting dangerous villains in who knows what city after graduation."

"Oh," the shark-toothed teen whispered quietly.

_I hadn't thought of that._

Kirishima's expression fell. His friend made sense. Of course, he did. This was Bakugou he was talking about. Everything about him was brilliant, so it was only natural that he had a more accurate interpretation of the situation they found themselves in. The redhead's scarlet eyes fell on the puppy rubbing itself against his leg like a cat. An action that comforted Kirishima enough to smile.

_Even still…_

It didn't mean his own thoughts and opinions were any less justified. Kirishima tried to remember that as he attempted to pull himself together to gather his thoughts to voice a counter-argument.

"We're still planning to join the same agency after graduation, right?" Bakugou prompted suddenly.

The question surprised Kiri, successfully pulling him from his thoughts. "Well yeah, of course. I mean as long as you still want me tagging along?" the sturdy hero replied awkwardly. A sudden wave of self-consciousness washed over him. They had spoken at length about possible future career paths they might take in the future on multiple occasions. Each time Kirishima couldn't help but wonder why Bakugou was so intent on teaming up with him.

"Shut up, of course, I do," the explosive teen berated. Dealing a hefty whack to his sheepish friend's head with his free hand. A smug smirk spread across his face at the pout Kirishima shot him as he rubbed his injury.

"If that's the case, we're probably going to end up living together, which means neither of us will be home that much, considering most heroes tend to spend most of their time in the field. That being said, it's safe to assume he'll probably be alone for days or weeks at a time," Bakugou explained. Trying his best to highlight the cons of taking care of anything besides themselves.

"We could get a dog sitter?" Kirishima offered weakly. Even he didn't have much hope for that argument.

The ash-blonde shook his head at that. "If you want to go that route, you'll still barely see it and end up feeling guilty about it. At that point, it would be better to find it another home now instead of getting overwhelmed and rehoming it later on."

The redhead's frown deepened. He was steadily losing faith in his plan.

Bakugou could sense that he was close to breaking apart his friends' defense. While he hated to do that to him, he felt it would be better for Kirishima to realize the fault in his plan now before he got too involved. So the future number one hero continued to list off the reasons adopting the husky wouldn't be fair to the dog or them in the long run.

"No matter how reputable we become as heroes, it doesn't change the fact that people can't bring their dogs with them wherever they go," Bakugou reminded calmly. "Are we supposed to bring a dangerous animal with us on missions? What if he ended up hurting a civilian?"

"He's not dangerous!" Kiri protested adamantly. His quirk activating without his permission to create hardened fists by his side. Frustrated tears stung his scarlet eyes from where they collected at the corners. The redhead's sharp canines grinding lightly against each other as he fought the urge to cry like a frightened child. "I'll train him to control his quirk. He's already so good at it. He won't be a danger to anyone, I promise!"

The strong emotions portrayed in Kirishima's heartfelt statement made Bakugou pause his barrage. A tiny spark of hope flared to life in the sturdy hero's heart. He was actually doing it. The Ball-of-Sunshine was slowly convincing the Great-Bakugou-Katsuki that this was a manageable task. That it was indeed feasible to become a hero _and_ take care of a quirked animal.

However, his hopes were immediately dashed with his next words.

"What if he got hurt?" Bakugou asked in a sullen tone. Gently grabbing hold of the shark-toothed teen's sleeve, perhaps to keep him from literally running away from the question. This was wise because the sturdy hero's initial inclination was to dodge the question anyway he could. When that was impossible, his tear-filled gaze immediately fell to the floor. Kirishima didn't have an answer for that. At least not one he was willing to voice or even entertain the thought of.

_It would kill me. _

As if reading his mind, Bakugou continued to breathe life into the shark-toothed teen's fears. "I know you don't want to think about it, but what would you do if he injured a civilian? You heard what that annoying brat said; animals with quirks are euthanized with the slightest transgression. If that happened on your watch, it would destroy you!" the blonde pleaded, his voice and eyes overflowing with hardly contained emotion the longer he spoke.

Kirishima's eyes softened at the overly emotional expression his friend exhibited. The one he hid from the rest of the world. The vulnerability the rest of his classmates would probably never get to see in their lifetime. The redhead began to understand why the hothead had been adamant about getting rid of the dog the second he discovered it had a quirk. The future number one hero had always been able to see farther into the future than Kirishima ever could.

One look into those worried red eyes, and it became so clear. Why Bakugou was so desperate for Kirishima to understand the flaws within his half-baked scheme? The blonde in front of him was convinced he needed to save Kiri from his own sensitive nature. That if Bakugou didn't dissuade the redhead on the idea right then, the Ball-of-Sunshine would end up getting too attached to the creature to ever give it up and would be hurt tremendously if anything were to happen to it. Believing it would be better to avoid any potential heartache altogether than admit loving something outside of themselves could ever be worth the risk.

The ash-blonde's concern for his well being was actually kind of sweet. But at the same time, Bakugou's actions portrayed how detached from the world he still was if he still denied needing anything, like love or support, from anyone besides himself. Seemed his tsundere still had some growing to do after all.

"Thank you for worrying about me, Bakugou, but I'm not going to give up on this. I'll find a way to make it work. You'll see," the Ball-of-Sunshine promised with a determined smile.

Bakugou, however, didn't look convinced. In fact, he looked worried. His trademark smirk contorted his features to create the frown currently on his face. It wasn't an expression Kirishima ever wished to see on the confident hero. A dark emotion dulling the brilliance of his usually lively eyes.

The dog whined softly then. The small bundle of fur rubbed against the blonde's legs a few seconds before Bakugou's previous migraine rekindled as his tinnitus assaulted him once more. The sudden spike in blood pressure caused the explosive hero's knees to become weak, which wobbled enough for even Kirishima to notice before he was able to regain his balance. A groggy groan sounded deep in Bakugou's throat as he brought a hand to his head to compose himself.

Kirishima watched Bakugou's nimble fingers pinch the bridge of his nose in a vain effort to alleviate the pressure in his head, in concerned silence. The redhead shuffled awkwardly on the sidelines, unsure if he should offer his assistance or if he should keep his distance for now. If he had to guess. It was his abrupt declaration that had caused this unfavorable reaction from Bakugou.

"Fine, if that's how you're going to be," the blonde sighed after a few moments, taking the time to put another pair of disposable earplugs in his ears. Kirishima was startled with how strained his voice sounded. He must have been in a lot of pain for his voice to be so hoarse.

The explosive hero's eyes slowly opened to meet Kiri's gaze. The emotion reflecting in their depths was impossible for the redhead to recognize, though the dark circles under the blonde's eyes were easy enough to discern.

"Truth is, I would consider keeping him if I thought it was feasible, but as it stands right now, I don't see how it could possibly end in anything but disaster," Bakugou cautioned in a guarded tone. Turning to continue walking to the dorm with his hands in pockets. A few seconds later, Kirishima followed silently after him. The husky blinking in time with their strides.

Satisfied that his words had finally gotten through to his hard-headed friend, Bakugou led the way to the dorms with a relieved expression on his face. Reassured that Kirishima remaining quiet on the subject meant Bakugou had won the argument. However, much to the blonde's disappointment, his advice didn't get through to the redhead in question. Instead, their conversation, along with observations of Bakugou's interactions with the nameless dog, inadvertently sparked an idea within Kirishima's mind.

The shark-toothed teen couldn't help but notice that the puppy had taken a particular interest in Bakugou the last couple of days. Always keeping a watchful eye over the irritable teen, how he used his quirk to return to his side or how he howled whenever he was removed from Bakugou's side. It was apparent how much the pup adored him even if the affection was one-sided. Then there was how he had reacted to the hothead's tinnitus. Kirishima was sure it had also picked up on the sudden spike in Bakugou's blood pressure before he exhibited any physical signs.

_This could work out perfectly!_

A small smile pulled at the Ball-of-Sunshine's lips. This could really be the answer that worked out for everyone. Perhaps he could kill two birds with one stone by saving the life of a stray _and _train him to become a service dog for Bakugou's worsening hearing loss. If his plan succeeded, the husky would be officially certified to stay with Bakugou at all times. Better yet, along with serving as the ash-blonde's ears, the puppy could be trained to aid him with his hero work at the same time!

_This is going to work! _Kirishima assured himself with a determined grin. Inspired to train this pup to support Bakugou to become the best darn hero he could be. The redhead would do anything to have his plan succeed.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Like always, I hope you're enjoying the story so far and I hope you continue to keep reading. If you would be so kind as to give me kudos, likes or leave a review or comments on the story so far would be absolutely amazing. Not only does it help validate the work I've put into this story, but it also motivates me to update faster, knowing people are actually reading and enjoying it.**

**If you're hungry for more of my writing, feel free to check out my other work, "When Mangas Collide." this story takes place a few months after this one does and perhaps a certain pup makes an appearance in the latest chapter.**


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